“If you use the credibility that comes with your job title, once, and then people discover that it really wasn’t authentic then you’ve broken trust and trust is difficult to restore once broken.”

How do you use your credibility and what are the sources of your credibility when you are trying to persuade other people? How do you use the relationships in your life to help you make the world better for you and others?

Highlights

00:00:00
Where have we seen persuasive instances that have been effective? Where do we see these attributes showing up?
00:01:46
A person may be persuasive in one arena but not another.
00:03:36
Example of a persuasive leader: Joe Justice, founder and CEO of WIKISPEED – credible, persuasive, and effective storyteller.
00:07:35
Do most people have a good understanding of their own credibility?
00:07:45
Differentiate between “title” and “credibility” – title does not equal credibility. The credibility that comes with the title works for a little while but it is very shallow; you really have to build credibility in other ways.
00:09:15
Research shows that managers typically overestimate their own credibility. How can people be aware of their level of credibility and how they are perceived? Obtain specific feedback from those around you. Unless we are requesting that mirroring, we are unlikely to know what our impact is on other people.
00:11:10
What are other qualities of a persuasive leader: good listener, knowledge of one’s industry, courage, belief.
00:14:35
How does a leader establish credibility when he/she moves into a new industry? The leader must not be afraid to ask questions and seek mentorship. The leader should be open to bringing in external expertise. Example of SCORE as a resource of where to look for trusted advisors.
00:22:46
What if you were good on the credibility side but light on the relationship side? What would be some of the things that you might want to do? Creating triads; bringing people together as learning opportunities; connecting with people one-on-one; connecting with professional associations.

Links from this episode