Making the shift from management to leadership requires different skills. It means you need to get people to believe you and follow you and to do that, you need to make sure you’re doing and saying the things that will impact and influence your employees and your team.
In my research, I asked people what makes them follow some leaders and not others. The answer can be summed up as credibility. But credible leadership isn’t just one thing. It’s not just about being trustworthy or having integrity. To be truly credible there are eight things you need to be able to practice.
My latest book, Nobody Believes You, Become a Leader People Will Follow, was published in October 2024, selling over 4,000 copies in its first 6 months. The book covers the eight practices in depth with stories about leaders I have worked with across my 20-year career.
In this blog, ‘What is credible leadership?’, I will outline exactly why being credible is so important and give you an overview of some of the research findings that shaped the book. I’ll also cover what happens when we aren’t credible and the impact that has on those we lead because once you know the impact, you can start to dial up the practices as you need to.
Credibility or authenticity?
Over the years there have been more and more papers, LinkedIn articles and news stories about leaders and people at work to be more authentic. The need to bring your whole self to work was a huge narrative during the pandemic and beyond, and authenticity was lorded as the solution to all leadership challenges.
This is wrong. It’s not that leaders shouldn’t be authentic, it’s that you have to remember that as a leader you’re in a position of power and as such, there are some caveats with this authenticity message. I’ve had first hand experience of leaders shouting at me, or others and I’ve heard countless stories about behaviour that is not acceptable, but easily swiped away with the ‘I’m just being authentic’ rationale.
It’s not ok. Using authenticity as permission to behave badly is definitely not what those suggesting it intended. But it has become an easy excuse. As a leader, you need to balance lots of things to succeed. Authenticity might be one of them for you (I prefer genuine and I explain why in the book), but it cannot be authenticity alone.
I can think of a few leaders in the political and business arena around the world who are arguably authentic. But are they people we’d really aspire to be like? Are they people to follow?
I’d suggest not. And that’s why it’s time to talk about the need for credible leadership.
What does it mean to be a credible leader?
As part of my research I explored different leadership types, personality types, what it takes to lead across cultures and academic papers from journals linked to the topic.
I created a list of the traits I believed leaders needed to display in order to be credible – and then I put them to the test. I wanted to know how people ranked them in terms of importance, and also whether men and women had different opinions on this.
I also asked my LinkedIn community how they would define credibility, and thought it might be useful to share a few of their responses here:
“Credibility is whether you or your organisation are perceived by the audience you’re speaking to as having the capability to be effective in completing the objective set.”
“Has a track record of doing what they say they’ll do, and whose actions demonstrate their good judgement and strong character.”
“Someone who walks their own talk.”
Based on the research, this is my own definition:
A credible leader encompasses a remarkable blend of qualities that naturally attract admiration and respect. Their capabilities shine through in their adept handling of challenges and their knack for delivering consistent results.
With a warm and likeable demeanour, they effortlessly connect with others, fostering an environment of approachability and camaraderie. Empathy courses through their interactions, allowing them to understand the needs and feelings of their team members, and they offer unwavering support in times of both triumph and difficulty. Their integrity is unassailable, guiding their decisions with an unwavering commitment to ethical principles. Trustworthy beyond measure, they honour their promises and inspire others to entrust them with their aspirations. Their visionary perspective extends beyond the horizon, leading the way with innovative ideas that set new standards. They are unafraid to be vulnerable, creating a safe space for open dialogue and genuine connections.
What are the eight practices of credibility that we need to build for people to follow us?
I was able to distil all the findings into The Eight Practices of Credible Leadership.
We found that a credible leader is:
- Empathetic
- Likeable
- Capable
- Supportive
- Trustworthy
- Visionary
- Vulnerable
- Has integrity
Do you have to have all of them? Yes. Do you need to excel at all of them? No.
As a credible leader you need to be able to demonstrate all of these, and there is depth to each on that is worth exploring too. The complete research and the complete Credibility wheel includes these eight practices and then three areas within them that provide the clarity behind each one.
A lack of credibility can soon lead to chaos in the workplace. A leader needs to inspire confidence in their teams and credibility is the fastest way to do this.
Without it, it’s easy for things to become out of alignment and for confusion to take the place of clarity.
Season five of the Redefining Communications podcast explores all of these practices, what they mean and how to build the skills to show them to employees and teams. The podcast episodes are 15 minutes each so it’s a snapshot of what you need to think about to build these practices into your leadership.
And if you’re unsure about which one to work on try our free online Credibility Gap Assessment that will create your own Credibility Gap Report, highlighting which ones need some focus and attention.
Why being a credible leader is important
When credibility is missing employees feel it. We need to close the gap between what leaders say and what employees experience, and credibility is the way to do that. The Credibility Wheel provides the framework for you to follow and if you want to be guided through it, learn at your own pace and learn how to become a leader people will follow, my online course will help.
What do employees feel when you’re not credible? This table shows it best:
Developing your leadership skills with a focus on credibility will give you the communication skills to lead well. It provides a focus for addressing the issues you are seeing in the organisation or the team you lead. If you feel that people aren’t doing what you need them to do and they aren’t moving at all, that’s apathy. It means they aren’t clear on the vision and where things are going. Once you can unlock that, things will change.
If you want to discuss an issues or challenges in your leadership, get in touch with us directly at info@redefiningcomms.com and we will find time to chat.
