How to Increase Your Leadership Credibility

For decades, I’ve polled people (students, managers) on the qualities that they admire most in their leaders. At the top of the list is integrity/credibility. People want their leaders to be honest and believable. Credibility is crucial for leaders because trust is what holds leaders and followers together.

Credibility takes time to develop and can quickly slip away through missteps. Psychological research suggests that even one negative incident can undermine months or years of being viewed as trustworthy and credible. As a result, leaders should consistently spend time focusing on building and maintaining their credibility.

Four cornerstones to being a credible leader

1. Honesty. Lying or withholding important information from your team immediately erodes credibility. Getting caught in a lie can seriously damage your reputation and your relationship with team members. Strive for honesty and integrity in all of your actions and endeavors. When making critical decisions or implementing some policy or action, be as transparent as possible. Communicate what you are doing and why.
2. Respect. Credible leaders are respectful of others. They don’t tear others down or talk behind their backs. Exemplary leaders listen, demonstrate concern, and show that they truly care about others. Remember to treat all team members with respect, but that should also extend to anyone you deal with.
3. Competence. Although no one expects a leader to be proficient in all things (that’s why it is so important to consult with team members to gain their knowledge and insights), leaders who constantly work at their craft—who strive to learn more and become more skilled—will be seen as more credible in the eyes of their followers. The very best leaders that I know are humble. They know their limitations and they work hard toward continuous improvement.
4. Accountability. Credible leaders are responsible leaders. They take responsibility for their actions and for the decisions they make. When good leaders make mistakes, they admit it and work to make amends.

What should you do?

• Reflect regularly on your credibility. How are you perceived by others?
• Ask a trusted colleague, coach, or mentor to provide feedback about how they believe others view your credibility.
• Come up with a strategy that you can implement immediately to try to improve each of these four pillars of credibility.