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EPISODE 8: Why Credibility Matters

July 13, 2016 by Debra Kasowski Leave a Comment

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What is credibility? It is the quality of being believable or worthy of trust. The root of credibility is “credo” which means “I believe” in Latin. I was really excited about this because there is a local coffee shop called Credo so I had to go look at their vision and mission statement to see if there was something with the word believe in it. I found out it was Credo – coffee you can believe in so I knew they had done something with the Latin word of “credo”. I will start using this word more often as the word believe is powerful to me.

Trust is built on credibility and credibility comes from acting in others interests before your own. Steve Denny, Killing the Giants

The reason I want to talk about credibility is to make sure everyone has an understanding of what credibility is. It walks hand in hand and side by side with trust. It is essential in any role. When you think of yourself and a customer if you are going to invest your time, money, or resources, would you want to invest in someone or an organization who delivers on their promises?

There are a lot of multi-facets when we think of credibility. There are a lot of things we want to think about. So if we are working with a sales person for instance you want them to be knowledgeable about their product. You start getting suspicious when it feels like they are omitting something or not sharing what they need to. The first thing a person usually thinks about when they think about a police officer is safety. An officer that is rude or condescending or not looking out for your best interest you start to question your safety. I have not come across this. In the movies, everything is glorified. There is often a suspicion of who is an officer and who is not – that is made for Hollywood.

It does not matter your position or role, credibility and trust are earned. It is not one thing; it is a combination of things really looking at a person’s core values. It is their character. When someone abides by their core values, they take 100% responsibility. (Listen is Episode 1 – Taking 100% Responsibility)

The people who act and make decisions based on their core values. If they make a mistake, they own it – it all comes back to taking 100% responsibility. We see those people as credible.

Someone’s expertise or their education, like a published author like myself, there is a sense of credibility. It is not always by title. Education and display of expertise on a subject matter that is also when you will see the credibility.

Emotional intelligence is a topic I am fond of and certified in. When someone is able to convey their messages, focus on solutions when there are issues that arise, control their emotions in situations and able to recognize the emotions of others – that also makes someone more credible.

The fact that someone shows up and behaves and even dresses professionally. When you go to see a surgeon or a physician of any kind, for example, they usually have a white coat and a stethoscope. If they showed up disheveled with their hair out of line or part of their shirt tucked in their pants and part untucked on the outside, and shoes were full of mud. Would you want them to be looking after your health? Thinking – it could be situational but who knows – you might start questioning whether or not you want that person taking care of you.

A good communicator is someone who is consistent with their words and they stand by their promises. They stand by what they are going to deliver.

Where is credibility important? Basically, it is all the time. It impacts integrity as well. It is about doing the right thing even when no one is watching. Some of the ways you can tell that credibility really matters are when you are watching someone live by their values. As a business owner, entrepreneur, or a leader, you can use testimonials in your marketing. If you are thinking of applying for a position, your references are your testimonial. They are your marketing as to whether or not they think you will be successful for the job – describing your skills and abilities. Social proof!

Credibility is leverage. When people see you as a credible source, they are more likely to purchase your products and services when what you deliver is endorsed by others. There is an opportunity to profit by leveraging your credibility and delivering on your promises by helping people get to where they want to get to or the products they need.

How to Establish Credibility

Remember credibility is not an overnight thing. It is something that is established over time. Credible leaders are people who “walk the talk”.

They are people you feel you can trust and respect.
They are honest.
Not only are they educated, but they continue to learn and grow. They are competent.
They hold themselves accountable as well as others.
They are true to themselves.
They watch out for the interests of others.
They have the ability to delegate; not every leader can do this. You hear about micromanagement and people getting frustrated because someone is always looking over their shoulder.
The credible leader has the ability to trust in the ability of their people. They have a positive attitude and they are committed to getting the job done.
They understand. They are flexible. They know that life happens and sometimes we have to adjust our course.

When Credibility Really Matters – Establishing Your Team

Credibility really matters when you are looking at leadership, when you are working on your business, or even in an organization – thinking about the people working for you and yourself as a leader. I believe every single person is a leader. You are the leader of YOU and you have a following of people who look to you to be inspired with confidence.

Think of the leaders in your life. The people around you with you do business with and the people who are a part of your team. You may be thinking, “What team?” You do have team – think about your optometrist, dentist, doctor, personal trainer if you have one, spouse/partner, kids, accountant, and your lawyer just to name a few. These people are all part of your team. The people you decide to bring onto your team to serve you so you can serve others so you can serve others are important. You do not want to take those decisions lightly. You want to have people on your team who may you even more credible, who are establishing you, taking care of you – your health and wellness. These are people who are a part of your team.

What are you doing to establish your credibility?

Once credibility is lost, it takes a long time for people to rebuild their reputation. You do not want to damage it. The best thing to do is to do the right things even no one is watching. If something does not feel aligned, I want you to take a step back and reflect on your core values. If it does not align, you will always face a constant struggle. You may have seen the poster saying “The struggle is real.” It will be real alright. You stomach may be flipping and you may have headaches. These symptoms are all signals for you letting you know you are off track.

Journal Exercise: How you want to show up in the world? Why credibility matter to you?

Email me at Debra@debrakasowski.com and let us know what you would like to be featured on the show. Subscribe to The Millionaire Woman Show. Give us a 5-star rating!

DEBRA KASOWSKI, BScN CEC is an award-winning best-selling author, transformational speaker, blogger, and Certified Executive Coach. She has a heart of a teacher and is certified in Appreciative Inquiry and Emotional Intelligence. Her writing has been published in a variety of print and online magazines. Debra Kasowski International helps executives, entrepreneurs, and organizations boost their productivity, performance, and profits. It all starts with people and passion. Sign up the Success Secrets Newsletter and get your free mp3 download today! www.debrakasowski.com

Time 11:30 min

EPISODE 1: Take 100% Responsibility

June 28, 2016 by Debra Kasowski Leave a Comment

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Stop Complaining, Making Excuses, and Blaming Others – It is Time to OWN it!!

We will be looking at the situations in life where you want to point fingers at people or you want to say it was not my fault. If you look around you at the choices you have made or some of the outcomes you have had, you need to look around and ask yourself, “What part did I have in this”

I had no control; it happened to me. Take a different approach by asking, “How did it happen FOR you?” What can you learn from this situation so the same situation does not happen again? People do not take enough time to investigate their outcomes.

Begin by asking yourself questions about a situation: What part did I play in this? What could I have done to change the outcome? What could I do differently in the future?

Imagine someone is coming to pick you up for an appointment or you are going somewhere for a specific time. You are watching the clock tick because you know if you do not leave by a certain time you will not make it on time. The person may show up 10 minutes late and you get to the location late. You get frustrated at the person driving you.

Take a step back.

Ask yourself…

What could I have done to achieve a different outcome?

Was I prepared to be out on time?

Could I have called in advance to ensure the person left on time?

Could I check to see if there was any road construction or accidents on their route to be aware of?

Come to the situation as a learner. What parts do I have control of or influence?

Avoid comparing yourself to others. Focus on improving yourself and showing up as your “BEST” self every day.

Often when people compare themselves, they are looking at one moment in time. As an example, someone has a victory – they seem to have all the luck. They have all the money and everything in place to succeed and it does not work out like that for you.

If you rolled out that person’s life and your life, would you be willing to erase all of the memories that you and trade for the other person’s life? If you at it from that perspective, I am sure chances are that you would not want to erase those precious memories.

It is not about competition as it is about playing your own game and showing up as your BEST self every day.

Focus on discovering solutions and look for the opportunities. What can you do about it? How can I make a different? It is not about sitting in the wings and being a wallflower. If you see something that needs to be changed, it’s about letting your voice be known.

Choose to be responsive versus reactive. You will make better decisions when you think before acting. Do you attack like a jaguar or a leopard ready to attack or do you take a step back and collect your thoughts? It is about choosing to be responsive versus being reactive. It takes a lot of emotional intelligence. Otherwise, you are like a bull in a china shop barging in and break everything around you and then you wonder why no one wants to follow you.

When you chose to be responsive your brain is a lot calmer. Your amygdala goes into an irrational mode – fight or flight response. When you are highly emotive and reactive, you are not thinking rationally and you will not make decisions as well. What you want to do is, is to come to a place where you are calm enough to respond, that you thought through what you want to say so you can make better decisions before you act. Not everyone likes to be held accountable but they like to know they are reaching outcomes.

Surround yourself with people who are accountable to for their actions. You become like the people who you surround yourself with. Take a look around you, “Are the people you are hanging out with accountable for their actions?”

You cannot hold others accountable for you cannot hold yourself accountable first.

Be willing to take action on what you want to achieve. Speak up if you need to, make a request, or try something new. Remember if you do what you have always done – you’ll get the same results.

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Time 9.46 min.

5 Ways to Lead and Influence by Actively Listening

May 9, 2016 by Debra Kasowski Leave a Comment

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Have you ever been part of a conversation where someone is finishing your sentences before you’ve even completed your thought? Have you ever had someone interrupt you just before you are about to make an important point? Have you ever had a conversation where you couldn’t get a word in edgewise?

You’re not alone.

For some reason, some people think that they need to respond to what you’re saying right away without taking a breath or they need to interrupt you because they need to share their idea immediately before they forget it. Whereas, others may dominate the conversation just because they like to hear themselves talk or that no one has ideas as great as theirs. These individuals fall short of being a great leader because they lack the emotional intelligence skill of active listening.

Now take a moment to think of the people you know who make you feel valued and appreciated when you speak with them. It is like you are “the most important person in the room”. These people have the power to influence and persuade. They are great leaders. What qualities do they possess? Do they have a superpower that no one else has? What separates them from everyone else?

There are five ways that you can lead and influence others by actively listening so you position yourself as a person who makes others feel like they are the most important person in the room.

Listen to your own inner chatter.

Stop and ask yourself these questions:

Am I coming from a place of judgment or am I trying to learn about another person and what they are saying?
What thoughts and emotions are coming up for me?
Am I truly being present and mindful of the conversation?
Am I catching myself already formulating a response to what they’re saying?

Turn your attention to the speaker.

Give them your full attention by maintaining appropriate eye contact, smiling appropriately, and nodding where you have agreement.
Eliminate distractions by turning off your cell phone, closing the door or moving to a private area, and turn off your computer so you are not tempted to multitask.
Don’t interrupt the conversation. Wait at least 3 seconds before you start to speak to ensure that they have finished their thought.
Don’t finish the other person sentences before they finish talking.

“There is a big difference between showing interest and really taking interest.” Michael P. Nichols

Ask thoughtful questions or make a positive statement about something that they have said. By asking purposeful questions, you are demonstrating that you are actively listening to the conversation and interested in what the other person has to say. When you make a positive statement about something someone has said, they feel good because you took notice which makes them feel valued and appreciated.

“Effective questioning brings insight, which fuels curiosity, which cultivates wisdom.”

Chip Bell

Reflect, paraphrase, and expand. Reflect back and paraphrase what you have heard. You can gain more information and gain understanding by asking probing questions or simply stating “Tell me more.”

Allow for pauses in the conversation. Pauses are very powerful as they help eliminate filler words like “ums”, “uhs”, or “ers”. Pauses allow the speaker as well as the listener to gather their thoughts and reflect on what has been said.

Great leaders were not born. They learned what separated good from great and they worked at making people feel important. You can up level your leadership style by practicing these active listening skills. People will become magnetically drawn to your leadership presence and describe you as a great leader.

What can you start doing to become a better listener?

When Building Your Team What Comes First: People or Process?

February 24, 2016 by Debra Kasowski Leave a Comment

Many organizations are working toward building a culture of hiring diverse groups of people to meet the demands of their organizations. They are being asked to do more with less. The right people must be in the right job. The resources of time, money, and people are limited.

I had the opportunity to interview the Acting Sergeant of the local police service and discover what they look for when hiring their team. The police service looks at building a diverse team that they believe will draw on the strengths of the individuals and create a cohesive unit. In the police service, you want to know you have back up and someone has your back. Managers want to know that their direct reports are putting in their best effort and the direct reports want to know that their manager is going to support them when needed.

When it comes to driving an organization, the dilemma of between people and processes is like the “chicken and egg” scenario. Which comes first? We need people and processes to run an organization and serve the people we are serving.

You want to have the right person with the right knowledge, skills, and abilities in the right position. If you don’t, many things could go wrong. Deciding on the right hire is more than what is on the paper. You want to ensure you are asking the right questions to determine if the person you are interviewing has the knowledge, experience, and capability to fulfill the role. No matter the situation or position, there will always be a learning curve. There are many transferable skills and some skills that may need to be learned. Tasks, procedures, and policies can be learned but people skills need to be cultivated.

People skills matter. Organizations can be people driven and fail in process or process driven and disregard people. The downfall is that we don’t always look at what knowledge, experiences, skills, and abilities that the people who work with us have. Sometimes you’ll see companies look for outside consultants but they fail to listen to the people within their organization with years of experience. In my work with Appreciative Inquiry, the premise is that the people who work alongside of you have the answers you need to fulfill the gaps you may have identified to make your organization great.

Employees get frustrated when people who do not work the frontline try to explain a process to them without consulting the people it impacts first-them. Do you blame them? People want to be asked for their input – engaged in the process, especially when it impacts them. In a sense, this engagement would allow people to drive the process.

When it comes to process, you need to gain a firm grasp of your organizational needs, strengths, opportunities for growth, aspirations, and desired results in order to create a strong vision and a process that the people will buy into. For a process to have buy in, it must be predictable and repeatable – there must be consistency. People must understand the importance of a process and how a process works before they will have buy. In order for this to occur, you need a leader who can create a strong vision for the people of the organization and start the conversation of what needs need to be met to drive a process.

People or process -it is impossible to have one without the other but at the end of the day, we are the people and we are here for the people. The process is how we serve the people that we are here for. To improve productivity and performance, ask yourself the following questions (better yet – ask the people you work with):

How can I engage the people around me?
What processes exist and which need to be improved?
What can I do to improve my role in the process?
What processes need to be developed to create the vision for the organization?
What can I start doing to assist the process?

At the end of the day, we need to hire people who relate to people, engage others, and also understand the drivers of performance and processes to get the results that we want. It begins with people.

Who do you want on your team?

DEBRA KASOWSKI, BScN CEC is an award-winning best-selling author, transformational speaker, blogger, and Certified Executive Coach. She has a heart of a teacher and is certified in Appreciative Inquiry and Emotional Intelligence. She is a contributing writer for Diversity Magazine and Fabulous at 50 Magazine. Debra Kasowski International helps executives, entrepreneurs, and organizations boost their productivity, performance, and profits. It all starts with people and passion. www.debrakasowski.com

How Do Leaders Hold People Accountable Without Micromanaging?

February 9, 2016 by Debra Kasowski 1 Comment

Leadership and management go hand in hand. There are times to lead and there are also times to manage. We need to strike a balance between the two to hold people accountable including ourselves. They complement each other and are often used interchangeably but do mean different things.

Managers are focused on the bottom line and getting results within a short range of time. They want to ensure that policies, processes, procedures are followed. The manager wants to ensure that things are done correctly and stay within the norm. Leaders, on the other hand, want to create a long-term vision for their followers which allows for creativity and innovation. They share intent behind their actions to help people understand their goals as well as the goals of others. A leader focuses on developing the people they work with so they too can lead. The leader encourages the people to ask questions and be curious about information available to them.

Leaders cringe at the thought of being labeled as “a micro-manager”.

Do you know a micro-manager? Are you one?

What is the difference between micromanaging and holding someone accountable for their actions?

Micromanagement and accountability are often misunderstood. Micromanagement is when the manager closely observes or takes control of the work of the people that report to them. They monitor and assess every step of the way. A micro-manager does not ask for input and may hide information to have the upper hand. These individuals do not trust that their people can do the job they were hired for.

Accountability is about the willingness to take responsibility for one’s actions. There is personal accountability as well as team accountability. When the manager shares information that involves facts and figures, they often need to look at how things happened and when. The leader will ask what happened and why. They will encourage their people to ask the tough questions and even challenge them to come up with solutions. When an individual or team takes responsibility for outcomes and results, they can reflect and look for the gaps from where they are to where they want to be. The manager often has to be accountable for the outcomes that their team delivers. A leader will inspire accountability by example.

There are situations in which micromanaging may help improve specific areas of a problem but should never be used as a long-term solution. Micromanaging is a strategy to improve performance and should not be used alone. We often have to take a step back and look at the big picture of what is going on in the system but we also need to take a closer look at the parts that make up the big picture. By doing so, individuals and teams can uncover where improvements can be made. This discovery can help us determine where accountability lies.

You can hold people accountable for their actions and results without micromanaging by asking powerful questions:

What are the expectations? Clearly communicate and set expectations. Set the stage by explaining what is expected of an individual or team. Create a vision in their minds of what they should aim for.
What is accountability when it comes to performance? Openly talk about accountability and performance so it’s not seen as micromanaging.
How do they want to be held accountable? Ask the individuals or a team how they would like to be held accountable for their actions and agree on the process.
What are the results and outcomes? Explain what the outcomes are if a person is not meeting expectations or performing well
Where are the gaps? Share your observations of the gap between expectation and performance.
What do they have to say about it? Ask for input.
Who is best to come up with the solution? Give the individual or team ownership of the problem. Let them come up with a solution.
What questions do they need answers to make informed decisions? Encourage them to ask questions and gather more information about what the facts and figures mean.
What are actions with support the results and outcome we wish to achieve? Focus on results and outcomes and what actions can improve a problem versus focusing on the activities that cause the problem.

Let your people know what your intention is as you work with them. The people you manage and lead are your greatest resource and often will come up with the best solutions. Foster trust by demonstrating to the people you work with that they are capable of creating the results and outcomes shared in the vision. They are owners of the vision. Ask the questions that create accountability and allow the people to make the vision a reality under your leadership.

Leading and managing effectively can be an art. How do you hold people accountable?

DEBRA KASOWSKI, BScN CEC is an award-winning best-selling author, transformational speaker, blogger, and Certified Executive Coach. She has a heart of a teacher and is certified in Appreciative Inquiry and Emotional Intelligence. She is a contributing writer for Diversity Magazine and Fabulous at 50 Magazine. Debra Kasowski International helps executives, entrepreneurs, and organizations boost their productivity, performance, and profits. It all starts with people and passion. www.debrakasowski.com