Leadership ~ Credibility Still Matters

In studying leadership and leaders, one of the fundamental beliefs about leadership is that leadership is a relationship between those who aspire to lead and those who choose to follow. Over the past 30 years, there has been plenty of research that consistently shows that the attributes people seek in leaders they are willing to follow are: honesty, trustworthiness, competence, inspiration and the ability to be forward-looking. When viewed on a larger scale, these five traits create a richer meaning as the foundation for leadership.

"Credibility" come from the same root word: credo, meaning "I trust or believe." Credibility is not inherent; it must be earned over time. Some leaders earn it sooner than others dependently on the quality of their relationships and their actions.

Credible leaders possess the ability to leave a long-lasting and positive impacts on people's lives. How about you and your leadership?  What kind of impact are you having on others? 

Read the words of Irwin Federman, venture capitalist and former CEO, when speaking to students at Santa Clara University.  His words surely puts credibility in context:

"You don't love someone because of who they are, you love them because of the way they make you feel. This axiom applies equally to a company setting. It may seem inappropriate to use words such as love and affection in relation to business. Conventional wisdom has it that management is not a popularity contest... I contend, however, that all things being equal, we will work harder and more effectively for people we like. And we will like them in direct proportion to how they make us feel."

And just how do credible leaders make people feel? Research shows 10 descriptors used most often:

• Trusted
• Valued
• Respected
• Motivated
• Enthusiastic
• Challenged
• Inspired
• Capable
• Supported
• Powerful
• Proud

When you think about your leadership and your relationships, how many of them would use these descriptors when sharing how you make them feel? What can you do to increase the frequency of leaving people feeling this way as a result of your leadership?

Thank you for taking the time to read this. How would you begin to break through and better understand the behaviors and actions you need to become a better leader? As a Leader what are your beliefs? What do you focus on? What outcomes do you want to achieve?

We would love to hear from you with comments or questions. Send me a note via email at brad@aperiocoaching.net or on Twitter @bparcells.