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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