Credibility, the Currency of Leadership

The history of judicial administration is full of attempts to define, explain, and teach about “leadership.” For instance, here at Court Leader we have published dozens of articles, guides, and podcasts on leadership, while the National Association for Court Management identifies leadership as a core competency and has many relevant articles in The Court Manager journal.[i] More broadly, leadership is a prime topic in other public and private institutions. Since it is election season here in the United States, it has made me think about the leadership qualities of our current and potential government officials. Unfortunately, many of them seem to be lacking in a fundamental component of leadership: credibility. In this post let’s explore the meaning of credibility.

What are the key factors that define credibility? How do we know when a leader is being credible? What do we, as leaders, need to do to build credibility? Here are seven ways:

Competency – Competency is the sum of the knowledge and skills required for effective performance in a job. In other words, in order to be competent, we need to know what to do and how to do it.[ii] To be seen as credible, however, leaders must put their knowledge and skills into action (“walk the talk”).
Integrity – Credible leaders are honest and ethical while performing accurate and complete work.[iii] Leaders with integrity are value driven while displaying vision and purpose in their work. For example, when staff ask for details about the current budget situation, leaders promptly share pertinent information that help staff understand the budget plan.
Consistency and reliability – Leaders who keep their commitments and follow through on decisions and agreements foster credibility in their actions. Even something as simple as starting meetings on time sends a message.
Accountability – Taking responsibility for one’s actions is a cornerstone of credibility. It’s easy to take credit for success, but more importantly, own up for your mistakes or failures.
Service orientation – Leaders who practice a high degree of emotional intelligence while treating others with dignity and respect imbue their actions with a high degree of credibility. Leaders take the time to understand staff members as individuals who deserve to be treated fairly, taking into account their unique circumstances.
Communication – Effective communication fosters collaboration and involves knowing when and how best to interact both orally and in writing. Knowing how to listen well is key to fostering credibility. For instance, during a performance review meeting the staff member should be encouraged to speak as much as, or more, than the supervisor.
Courageous – Credible leaders are not afraid to take calculated risks, make hard decisions, and foster a culture of innovation.[iv] For example, it is hard to deliver negative feedback or bad news, so many supervisors avoid doing so. Leaders have the courage to make such communications promptly and clearly.

Leaders who prioritize these credibility action areas inevitably create a high level of trust between themselves and others. Stephen M.R. Covey sums up the importance of trust in leadership as follows: “The first job of any leader is to inspire trust. Trust is confidence born of two dimensions: character and competence. Character includes your integrity, motive, and intent with people. Competence includes your capabilities, skills, results, and track record. Both dimensions are vital.”[v] Leadership depends on trust, which depends on credibility. As the title of this post says, “credibility is the currency of leadership.”