Credibility. how could we earn it? More crucially, how could we save it? It takes years to achieve credibility and it takes more, and maybe a lifetime, to maintain it for any leaders to gain the goals. And drastically, one mistake at our movement can omit all hard work we have been resulting at a very long period of years. Hence, proficiency to communicate with credibility is considerably form of art that can help us deal with some simple principles.
First of all, straighten our verbal and nonverbal language capability. Credibility is improved by consistency on verbal and nonverbal language. Consistency is the main word at this point of view here. Those executive people who neglect non-verbal language, or commonly called body language, don’t realize if they have omitted one of the most powerful tools in communication. If our orientation on verbal and nonverbal language is out of line one time, we are supposed to send mixed messages. What do we gain in return? The person who receives our messages will get puzzled, wondering which to trust – our verbal or nonverbal messages.
Apart from verbal, nonverbal communication also has many functions; however, these two functions stand out to reinforce or contradict the verbal message. We could maintain our credibility when nonverbal reinforces verbal messages. When fighting non-verbal or not, with the verbal messages, we undergo the risk of conflicted messages and credibility. For example, when we as leaders say: “I am responsibility in full support for negotiations of salary”, but we look down or away, send a confusingly mixed nonverbal message that might say:” I’m not really good at this case.” If seeing the case above when the verbal and nonverbal messages are inconsistent, non-verbal message will considerably be winning because it is apparently seemed as credible. Therefore, it is named as ‘a silent language’. Keep in mind that our credibility foundation is the foundation of our believability. Stay consistent at our verbal and nonverbal language and we’ll never fear of sending messages that may be too dangerous for our own credibility.
Let us start leading by listening. Ask some executives all across the country what they need for their management teams. Most will say, “Be a good listener”. The good thing about listening is that we will find out it as a learned behavior which means that no matter we are a bad listener today we still could train ourselves to listen better tomorrow. Being a good listener is not only to hear what is said, but notes and makes use all the senses to a full picture to display. Then, why the case of listening should be a matter for a leader? In the highly competitive market of today, silent observation tends to be one of the most powerful tools we could develop a sense of conscience and take our parts at any games.
Other proficiency is to make realistic promises and keep them. Credibility could evaporate if we could not keep our word writing or orally. Our credibility slips off if we are not at the standard existence that we and others live for each other. If the promises we have made are broken repeatedly, we then will start to lose credibility; no matter if it is an important customer, component, or even our employees. We promise a downward spiral so fast, if we do not do something to what have been promised. Even more when we have bad habits of undergoing things more than what we could offer, then this advice:
Think before you speak and promise realistically only if you are sure you could do.
Next: Speak from the Heart.