Said by a perplexed employee to a co-worker:
“When will my boss get off my case? Sure, I made a huge mistake last quarter that nearly caused the client to drop us, and I was a little late in telling the boss about it. I’ve apologized and am changing my ways, but my boss keeps questioning everything I do. He’s treating me like I’m a new employee.”
Trust and credibility — a complicated, complex and fragile bond. One which requires time and effort to grow, and unfortunately only a nanosecond to tear apart.
A big mistake coupled with tardy disclosure is a sure-fire recipe for wiping out a boss’s faith in you and your abilities.
Credibility – the quality of being believable and trustworthy – is a precursor to trust, a “firm reliance on the integrity, ability or character of a person.” (thefreedictionary.com). To rebuild trust you must re-establish your credibility.
There are three components to credibility:
- Competence,
- Character, and
- Charisma,
All three must be present before credibility happens.
Competence
You know what you know and what you can deliver, but what’s really vital is how others perceive your abilities.
Dr. Laurence J. Peter, creator of The Peter Principle, tells us, “Competence, like truth, beauty, and contact lenses, is in the eye of the beholder.”
To help shape those perceptions of your competence:
- Under-promise and over-deliver.
- Freely share – without tons of ego – information, resources and insights.
- Offer relevant suggestions to improve outcomes.
- Share personal success stories (keep chest-thumping to a minimum!).
Character
H. Jackson Brown Jr., author of Life’s Little Instruction Book, offers a great definition, “Our character is what we do when we think no one is looking.”
To build character:
- Be fair – present both sides of an issue, topic, etc.
- Consistently walk the talk.
- Offer assistance and follow through – and up – to make it happen.
- Manage inclusion and avoid stereotypes.
Charisma
What’s charisma got to do with trust, you might ask. Dr. Nick Morgan, author and former Harvard professor, offers up his “Principle X” which says “authenticity and charisma derive from becoming open, connected, passionate and listening with and to” those around you.
You may find out that you have charisma after all if you:
- Show genuine enthusiasm in what you do and in those around you.
- Smile.
- Operate from the glass half full perspective.
- Listen; really listen, for meaning and understanding.
Credibility matters because it leads to trust – which is the cornerstone of relationships, and relationships are the building blocks of your personal and professional success. It’s up to you to make it all happen!
What say you?
Image source: morgueFile
So true – credibility in eye of beholder and credibility and trust are connected. But still a tough one to swallow if, in fact, only made one mistake.
I define charisma differently, will have to reflect on it.
Thanks for a good post Jane.
Cherry –
Would hear to hear how you define charisma – willing to share?
Thanks for your kind words and with a smile,
Jane
My comment aligns with Cherry. I wonder if the mistake was a credibility mistake is it the only one? trust is hard to rebuild. If it is a character issue or perceived character issue it can be hard to overcome!
Amy –
Since credibility is ascribed to us by others, perhaps only one mistake – regardless of size – is enough to move their “credibility/trust” meter downward. Some individuals might say that’s unfair, however, it was enough in the boss’s mind here to place a big question mark on the character of the person involved.
Thanks much for sharing!
Jane