In our series on leadership attributes, we now look at credibility. Leaders are credible. But what does it mean to be credible? Dictionary definitions include:
- Offering reasonable grounds for being believed or trusted, and
- Good enough to be effective.
In Albert Mohler’s book The Conviction to Lead, he writes that the most essential element in determining whether others will follow you is your credibility to lead them, and to guide the organization to the right future. If you are a credible leader, you are worthy of your follower’s confidence and trust. You are reliable, accountable, and dependable.
How do leaders become credible? We could say that credibility comes from a leader’s character and competence, both of which are important for a leader worthy of being followed. Leaders with credibility have a proven record of consistently “walking the talk”, doing what they say they will do, and delivering solid results.
We can all think of leaders who deliver strong results, but are low in character. On the other hand, consider former Vice President Mike Pence. He is a man of faith, and not many would doubt that he is a man of high character. However, his failed bid as a presidential candidate showed that few thought that he had the competence to be President.
Mohler tells us that the good news for leaders is that credibility can be earned. It can be earned by years of faithful work demonstrating character and competence. However, he also tells us that the bad news is that credibility can also be lost. Alistair Begg, in his book The Hand of God, writes that it can take thirty years to build a reputation, and only five minutes to ruin it. Sexual misconduct and financial indiscretion are just two of the many ways a leader can quickly lose credibility they have built up for decades. For example, at a recent Coldplay concert, the Kiss Cam triggered a ‘formal investigation’ into Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and HR head Kristin Cabot.
If you want to be a leader that others want to follow, be a credible leader.
What other traits do you think describe a credible leader?
This is an Adapted Excerpt From My Book “A LEADER WORTH FOLLOWING:
40 Key Leadership Attributes and Applications to Master”.
