Index
- What is credibility?
- Earn others’ trust
- Establish your expertise
1. What is credibility?
Credibility is the cornerstone of persuasion. That’s because when others see you as credible, they’re more likely to commit time or resources to your idea or proposal.
For you and your ideas to be seen as credible, you need to earn others’ trust and establish your expertise.
The more trust you earn and the more expertise you establish, the more credible you and your ideas become and the more persuasive you can be.
Research : Your credibility doesn’t begin and end with what you already know. Leaders who inspire confidence are constantly seeking out new research and data to help them overcome challenges and make difficult decisions.
Respect : When people believe you sincerely have their interests in mind, they tend to trust you and your ideas more. Always give or share credit to those who contribute good ideas.
Admit flaws : When you own up to your flaws, people see you as truthful and therefore trustworthy.
Endorsements : Building credibility can be a slow process, but once you begin to inspire confidence in others, they will often share this confidence with others in your network. Win the endorsements of several key team members and others will be more likely to view you as a credible leader.
Credentials : Your past experiences and successes can play a crucial role in building credibility if leveraged appropriately. For example, you might mention a qualification in a relevant field or an accomplishment earlier in your career.
2. Earn others’ trust
To earn others’ trust:
Be sincere. Demonstrate your genuine belief that your ideas are worth others’ time and attention.
Build a track record of trustworthiness. Follow through on promises and commitments you’ve made. When people see that you’ve delivered on promises in the past, you earn a reputation for trustworthiness."
Encourage exploration of ideas. Value others’ ideas. Listen to people’s concerns, encourage dialogue, and demonstrate your openness to their perspectives.
Put others’ best interests first. When people believe you have their interests at heart, they tend to trust you and your ideas more. People won’t believe you will do the right thing unless they’re convinced you genuinely want to do it. To communicate your good intentions:
Talk explicitly about your intentions. Discuss what’s important to you, what your goals are, and what values and motives guide your actions and decisions. Relying on others to guess what’s in your head and heart won’t help you build the trust you need to be seen as credible.
Demonstrate your integrity. Be sure that your actions match your words. For instance, if you often say that you think people should help each other whenever possible, then make sure you actively support others in need.
Be consistent. Avoid acting in ways that conflict with your character and personality. If you behave inconsistently, others may be confused and start wondering whether you have the right intentions.
3. Establish your expertise
People see you as having expertise when you are clearly knowledgeable about your ideas, make reasonable judgment calls, and accumulate a history of successes. But establishing your expertise isn’t something you do only when you have a specific persuasion goal in mind. Instead, you need to do so on an ongoing basis when opportunities arise.
To establish your expertise:
- Research your ideas.
- Get firsthand experience.
- Cite trusted sources.
- Prove your idea’s merit through a pilot project.
- Make your credentials known.
- Gather endorsements.
- Hire independent specialists.