“How do I become a credible leader, that my team members and boss will listen to?” is a question I am often asked when working with leaders. To be influential, leaders first need to establish a high level of credibility in the workplace. One leader I coached had a difficult time having her innovative ideas considered. She felt her boss never took her seriously and as a result could not change any of her team’s ineffective processes. It wasn’t that she didn’t have helpful strategies that could lead her team forward but rather she was not considered to be a credible resource.
After talking about why her suggestions were overlooked, she came to the realization that neither her boss nor her team thought she was a valuable contributor. Even though she was a hard worker she was not being asked for her perspectives. She was even beginning to feel invisible and ready to look for another position. She decided that she had little credibility on her team.
Four Principles Credible Leaders Follow
1. Be Fully Present and Focused
There is nothing more frustrating to our team members than having some of their co-workers only partially tuned in. With virtual meetings as well as virtual one-on-ones, we need to work doubly hard at staying engaged. If we appear to be aloof or pursuing other work while we are supposed to be interacting with our team, we lose credibility. How do we show we are fully present?
- Look into the camera not at whatever else might be going on around us.
- Ask relevant and smart questions to demonstrate interest and understanding.
- Put on a smile, as that displays positive feelings.
- Provide impactful feedback to add value to the discussion.
2. Become A Trusted and Dependable Colleague
To be credible we must be trustworthy and that means we need to lead by following through on what we say we will do. For example, if we have a deadline to meet it is important to complete our part of the deliverable in a timely way. If we discover we are not able to finish on time, then we need to be upfront and explain ahead of time why our part will be delayed. If we want to be trusted with future and higher level projects we have to hold ourselves accountable. That means keeping our colleagues and boss updated with accurate information of our progress.
Credible leaders are both trustworthy and reliable. They do what they say they will do. Share on X3. Speak Up with Confidence
Don’t second guess yourself and never assume colleagues know more than you. Lead with the belief that your contributions are valuable and critical to the team’s success. One leader I am working with had a difficult time thinking their ideas had merit. That caused an abundance of insecurity and led to a loss of their “mojo”. Here are some ways we found for him to speak up with credibility and confidence:
- Thoroughly research the information to be shared with the team.
- Prepare the best way to explain material that not everyone might be familiar with.
- Test out your ideas with a trusted colleague to see if there are any missing concepts.
- When speaking to your boss or team use clear language and an upbeat tone.
- Welcome feedback with an ear to learning from it.
4. Build Meaningful Team Relationships
Look around at the credible leaders on your team and what you will certainly notice is that they have strong relationships with the people they connect. When I coach new leaders in ways to build credibility, the first thing we talk about is their support system. Do they have mentors to guide them? Do they have co-workers who they feel comfortable brainstorming their challenges? Are they able to admit mistakes as well as the lessons they learned? Purposefully building strong work relationships enables leaders to develop their credibility.
What additional principles have helped you become a credible leader?
I love all your points, Terri, but I found that “staying fully present and focused” is the best way to signal to team members that “you’re on it.” People really need to feel that they’ve been heard and once a leader can convey that a team member’s input is important, the tenor begins to change. I’ve used a similar technique to calm down disagreements when tensions are high. You may be the only one who allows the team member to process their thoughts and feelings. At this point, though, it’s super important for the leader to not appear judgmental in what they’ve just heard!
I agree that being judgmental can turn a discussion into a heated argument. That is why it is essential for leaders to listen with focus and then to validate each person’s opinion. Even saying something as simple as, “I hear what you are saying and thank you for sharing those perspectives” can continue the dialogue. Credible leaders are able to listen to different viewpoints without losing their calm. That way they can share their ideas in a clear and balanced way.
Thanks LaRae!
I recently attended a conference online and one of the speakers covered how our body language comes across on Zoom meetings. She suggested, like you, being aware of our face and smiling more, and nodding, not like a crazy person but to show someone you’re tracking. She also mentioned how our backgrounds on those calls influence our credibility with clients and colleagues. They have never glimpsed into our homes or home offices before and what they see behind us influences how they think about us too.
Fostering credibility can be tough, especially in this new virtual space we’ve all been thrust into, and your suggestions are spot on.
Alli
I notice that when I am speaking on a Zoom call I often look for people nodding their heads to help me see if I am sharing helpful information. I also look for smiles as well as grimaces as that gives me insight into what may be going on in the minds of others. I love that you took the time to learn about what can add to a more impactful connection with people in virtual meetings. What a time we are working in. Yet I know there are great lessons we are learning and new opportunities for leaders to recognize.
Thanks Alli!