Effective Leadership Traits: The Importance of Creditability
This is what keeps me up at night...you. How
do I help you become the best you? The most important critical action key for you? Embrace your role as a leader.
The root word... "Lead" means ‘to go, to travel’... "Lead" means ‘to show the way by going in advance’... "Lead" means ‘to go first as a guide... to be first... to be ahead…’
So how can you develop your ability to lead? Through all the research I have read and studied I’ve discovered there are some basic leadership traits you need to understand -- and live.
One of the most important traits of a great leader is ‘credit-ability’. We all want Leadership that has creditability. In other words, are you credit-worthy? An example of creditability is a credit check. A credit check is in many ways a ‘belief check’... is the bank willing to invest in you? Do they believe in you?
In terms of being a leadership quality, ‘credit worthiness’ translates this way: do your people want to invest in you? In other words, do your people believe in you enough to have an active stake in the outcome of following your lead?
How can you develop your credit-worthiness? You must earn the belief and trust of your team by who you are: by the values you live by, by the promises you make – and keep, and by all your actions, each and every day. Do you ‘walk the talk - or just talk the talk?
Consider the X-CEO of BP, Tony Hayward. He lost his creditability because his actions did not match the promises he made. The American people could see he did not ‘walk the talk’. As a result, he lost the faith of the people -- and eventually had to step down from his position.
An ‘oil spill’ in your own business could be anything from the changing economy to simply having the desire to control your business expenses better. When you have ‘an oil spill’ how can you use it to build your creditability? The impact of your approach can be the difference between your success and your failure.
As you fulfill your role as a leader, here are some things to keep in mind: The leadership traits that build your creditability - that we all look for - include honesty and integrity, vision and the ability to inspire. We want to know that the people we follow will be honest about the facts of a situation – even when the facts are difficult. We want leaders who have a vision supported by goals – someone who can help us understand the steps to take along the way. We crave Leaders who are inspiring and dynamic. We want leaders who are enthusiastic and positive about the future, but also about the journey itself. Finally, we want leaders who believe in themselves and what they're doing, so that we can believe in them too.
Folks, what I'm telling you is that your creditability in your role as a leader is critical to the ongoing profitability and success of your business. Remember that you are earning your creditability every day, with every word and every action. Develop your creditability -- and you’ll develop your success as a leader.