Make Honesty Your Policy: Be A Credible Communicator

Credibility in the workplace means believability. Simply put, do customers believe what you say? Is your track record one of telling the truth? Are your estimates accurate, your forecasts realistic and your word solid? Or are you a big talker, a storyteller or a spin doctor? Become a credible communicator.

The Right Way to Write and Speak
From the moment you initiate contact with a prospect, the credibility counter is activated. Are your statements accurate, assertions factual and your references, degrees and awards correct? Whether spoken or written, your communication must withstand the truthfulness test.

From football coaches to Pulitzer winning authors to high level accounting executives to politicians we’ve seen many a professional undone by a lack of credibility. Don’t end up the butt of Jay Leno’s jokes!

Credibility Applies to All
Attention all job seekers: Whether or not you are "found out" during the interview process, you can lose your job and damage your career immeasurably when you lie, misstate or misrepresent your accomplishments. Pulitzer prize winning authors have been undone, as have supposed war heroes and many a politician, by aggrandizing or completely falsifying one's past accomplishments. You're also susceptible to blackmail when you lie and are then threatened with exposure. As we've just seen, there is no "luck of the Irish" involved when you lie about your credentials, even as the head football coach for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Standing Tall As A Self-Employed Professional
For entrepreneurs this is especially true. You ARE your business. You must be beyond reproach. Even a hint of impropriety can be fatal. Your goal is to ooze integrity through your words and deeds. Steven Colbert's truthiness is not an option.

Your Word is Your Bond
People listen to what you say and how you say it. In every communication you can become known as a person of his or her word. Conversely, you can become known for shading the truth, telling people what they want to hear, or parsing words as a defendant might do under courthouse cross examination.

Little boys who’ve lost credibility get eaten by wolves. Big boys and girls get fired when they lack credibility. Whether you cry racism, sexism, ageism or favoritism it's important that there be credence to your claims. You do everyone a disservice if you falsely accuse or ascribe such motives to actions that otherwise occur.

Words Are Sticks and Stones
Beyond misrepresenting your own accomplishments or capabilities, be cautious of making assertions about others. Character assassination is fatal to careers, and not just the person you're slandering. Your words carry a weight to them that affects others. Gossiping, spreading falsehoods or even half-truths about your competitors flags you as dangerous, untrustworthy and unprofessional.

Marketplace success requires trust from your colleagues. Gossiping or betraying confidences destroys your own credibility — as an honorable colleague, a safe confidante, and an ally.

Take the High Road
The workplace affords you ample opportunities to earn credibility. Every time you make a deadline, do what you say you'll do or are there in a time of need for others your credibility rises.

When you defend the honor of absent co-workers, refuse to engage in gossip, or caution others to give colleagues the benefit of the doubt, you are showing class, wisdom and professionalism, raising your credibility quotient.

Similarly, when you "say the right thing" or "do the right thing" in ethical situations your credibility is enhanced.

Earning Your Stripes
Don’t fall down when it comes to admitting mistakes. The credible communicator can admit errors or mistakes in a forthright and direct manner. Address and then go about rectifying errors, restoring confidence in yourself. Those lacking in credibility might try to cover up, ignore or minimize their folly, often compounding the error of their ways. Ultimately, it's less important that you made a mistake, than that you fixed it and can assure others it won't happen again.

Know When to Say No
The credible communicator doesn't just tell people what they want to hear. Life would be easy of we could say "yes" to every request we received. Realistically, agreeing to something you ultimately can't deliver on is detrimental to your reputation. Develop the fortitude to say "no" when it's the right answer, through it may not be the popular one. Over the long term, you will be respected for the accuracy of your assessments, decisions and determinations, even if the news isn't music to the ears of all who listen. Sometimes the truth isn't popular or pretty, but a person who is a "straight shooter" is respected by all.

Strive to boost your credibility rating in your professional relationships. Don't be in-credible…strive to be incredible!

Craig Harrison's Expressions of Excellence helps you avoid miscommunication and the pain it causes your company, clients and reputation. Speaking, training, coaching and consulting services make you a more credible, confident communictor. Visit Craig Harrison's Expressions of Excellence!™ for resources to help you communicate for success. You can also read about Craig Harrison's credibilikty training program Developing Your Communication Quotient (CQ). Questions? Call Craig at (510) 547-0664 or e-mail him at excellence@craigspeaks.com.