Credible Person
In one of the articles I posted on personal branding, I mentioned that you could not succeed in whatever you do if you cannot pass the test of credibility. Credibility protects you. It’s the reason why I would like to share with you how you can become a credible person.
Before I move on, let me ask you to take some time to reflect first on your career. You are either self-employed or employed by others (i.e. government, NGO, company, etc…). How do people perceive you? Do they see you as a credible person? What about you, do you realistically see yourself as a reliable person?
If you are a credible person, that’s very good indeed. Keep it up and pass it to your descendants! If we get more people like you, we shall live harmoniously. But if others don’t perceive you as a credible person, it’s high time you changed your ways of behaving and doing things. Why do I say so? It’s because credibility is a crucial ingredient to success in whatever you do. Credible people succeed in business and at their workplace.
Unfortunately, a significant number of Ugandans are not credible. I have come across many people in various fields of work who are not reliable. They are 100% dishonest. They want to earn where they have not invested. I’m not saying that there are no credible Ugandans. But what I mean is that the percentage of credible Ugandans is comparatively small. Not being trustworthy is one reason why you see businesses collapsing and unsatisfactory service delivery in some public offices.
Hear This Story!
One day, I went to buy a generator in Car & General. I saw a gentleman wearing a grey suit complaining seriously to one of the employees. He was referring to himself as a senior citizen and asking the employee why they took him to court. I heard the employee asking him to go to his boss on that issue because it was not in the employee’s jurisdiction to give a conclusive answer.
When the gentleman went to another office, I asked the employee what had happened. He told me that the gentleman was a Member of Parliament (MP), who bought a generator at Uganda Shillings 4,000,000/= (equivalent to USD 1,095) and failed to pay over four years. He made many unfulfilled promises until Car & General decided to use the law. That MP is one of the examples of many other incredible people in leadership positions. Can Uganda develop with such people? Why do we elect incredible people to public leadership positions?
In another example, one of the Chief Financial Officers (commonly known as CFO) in one of the districts in northern Uganda made an order of rubber stamps for the office. I made the rubber stamps delivered them to him with some documents he signed. Since then, he has never effected any payment. It’s now over four years. I have reminded him several times in vain. Finally, I had to write the debt off as a bad debt. My intuition tells me that the CFO got the money and even made fake accountability. Can our small businesses in Uganda survive with such incredible people?
There are many other such experiences of incredible Ugandans you and I have encountered. If you are reading this article, I want you to learn that a dishonest person is destined to fail in whatever they do. If you are employed, you may end up losing a job. And if you are self-employed, say, in business like me, your business will not survive. Don’t ask when. It’s just a question of time. Success will never be in your hands, and this is why I am helping you through this article to become a credible person so that you can succeed in life.
What Is Credibility? Who Is a Credible Person?
One thing you must know is that credibility is in the eyes of others. It’s other people who rate you as a credible person, basing on the way they see you. Reliability is, therefore, a perceived quality that people assign to you, based on several elements, which include integrity, competence, connection with others, good judgment, and being likeable.
Integrity
#1 – Integrity
To be a credible person, others must see you as transparent, trustworthy and with good moral behaviour. People feel good dealing with a person who exhibits a high level of these ethical standards. If you build a good track record of being truthful in whatever you do, others will perceive you as a credible person.
#2 – Competence
To become a reliable person, you must build yourself into an expert in your field of work or business. Expertise is essential to your success in business or career. In modern times, people trust experts because they believe that experts understand any issues related to their work. Perceived expertise comes from both your education and experience. Educated people are more credible than uneducated ones. Secondly, experienced people have more perceived credibility than new graduates.
#3 – Connection with Others
To become a trustworthy person, you have to relate with others well. You have to be a good listener and to know how to ask questions about other people’s values. Secondly, you have to be empathetic. Knowing how to connect with others is one of the key elements to becoming a credible person.
#4 – Good Judgment
To become a credible person, you have to be with the ability to make the right decisions. It means that you analyse situations and ask intelligent questions. You look at issues in a bigger picture for the benefit of others.
#5 – Being Likeable
Usually, people respond positively to others whom they like. These are people they trust and with whom they cooperate. They approve their proposals and even buy from them. To become a credible person, you have to be likeable by others.
Having highlighted the five critical elements of credibility, you can now have a clear picture of what reliability is all about. You can now know who is a credible person in your community and why they succeed in life in the long run.
How Can You Then Build Your Credibility?
To become a credible person, you must have the five elements mentioned above. It means a lot of work on your side as an individual and the following are a few things you should work on throughout your life.
Integrity
- Build your reputation on ethical behaviour
- Consistently tell the truth
- Make your values clear to others
- Appreciate others for their contribution or work
- When you make a mistake, be honest to say so other than covering it up
- Whenever you change your position on any issue, do so objectively but not for personal reasons.
Education
Competence
- Complete your degree or diploma and even go for further studies
- Read to get more knowledge and skills. Remember that formal education can give you a living, but informal learning can give you a fortune. You can become wealthy through the experience you get by yourself to supplement what you acquired in school.
- Establish a track record in what you do
- Operate with a license to practice a profession or to do business
- Participate in seminars, meeting and conferences related to your field of work
- Embrace new technology and new ways of doing things. You have to reengineer yourself to become a credible person in your society.
Connecting People
Connecting to Others
- Be willing to learn from others and your mistakes
- Never say anything about someone, which you wouldn’t speak directly to him/her
- Take time to understand people (i.e. their interests, hobbies, etc…) so that you connect with them well
- Never criticise people because they distance themselves from you when you criticise them.
- Show concern for others (be empathetic)
- Take time to understand another’s point of view before you reject it completely
Good Judgment
Good Judgment
- Always think about the impact of your decisions on others
- Allow others to have an input into your decisions
- Ever admit your mistakes
- Stay current in your field of work
- Avoid making a quick decision
Likeable Person
Being Likeable
- Become friendly
- Try to always find humour around you, especially during stressful situations
- Express gratitude in public and in what you do
- Congratulate others and recognise their successes
- Focus on what can be done to solve a problem but not what you cannot do to it
- Learn to communicate assertively but not aggressively or non-assertively.
- Talk about challenges instead of problems to others
- Avoid criticising others
- Show interest in matters of personal importance to others
Conclusion
Success in anything you do depends upon many factors. Credibility is one of the essential factors that separate you from others in the field of your work. The more credible you become, the more you are likely to achieve in what you do. Always work towards becoming a credible person. Help your children, relatives and other people in your society to build credibility. If we all become reliable persons, we shall make Uganda a peaceful country. Besides, we shall become successful in our endeavours.
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