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ManagerZine Archive Favorite
9. Credibility First, Trust Follows
From time to time our far-flung readers call with a real concern. This comes from
a person assuming a new job at a higher echelon of her organization. The
question is: “What can I do to establish credibility at the top executive level?”
A Classic Experiment
Remember this classic experiment? You are asked to look at people delivering
different messages on film. The messages consist of some type of persuasion;
try a new way of planting corn or exercise every day. The questions asked in
the debrief are, “What was the message? Is it worth remembering?” Typically, a
disheveled middle-aged man, hair askew, pie-eyed and kind of sullen delivers
one message. A trim man, craggy features, steel gray hair wearing a crisp
white lab coat delivers the other.
The experiment was more complicated than that but the obvious finding was
that most people picked the message from the guy in the lab coat who, as it
turns out, was a model. The hair guy was a noted scientist, doctor, judge, etc.
As far as immediate recall, people tend to remember and believe the lab coat
person’s message more than the other person. (Interestingly, months after the
initial exposure, people tend to remember both messages equally well. This is
the famous “sleeper effect” identified by Carl I. Hovland of Yale in the 1930s
and 40s.)
So, appearances play a role in credibility. When you think about it, credibility
is the prerequisite of trust. A person who is credible is worthy of trust. He or she
hasn’t actually done anything yet to earn trust, but he or she is in the batter’s
box. Why does that matter?
If you’ve just stepped into a new role, if you’re a salesperson, or you have to
influence people who don’t really know you, your first objective is to establish
credibility. Why? The perceived credibility of a source makes a significant
difference in the acceptance of new attitudes among an audience. The
higher your credibility, the more influence. Obviously, there is a payoff for
looking at how people view you.
How can you affect the perceived credibility of you? Let’s look at the variables.
This data comes not only from Hovland’s work, but also from studies of opinion
leaders in groups.
Appearance. You look the part. This is a prosaic fact of business life;
appearance that conforms to norms lends itself to credibility. While we have
wide tolerance for outside people’s appearance, and in fact to some extent,
half-expect consultants and the like to show up in cowboy boots, we look for
“congruence” internally. In the 1980s, Dress for Success, a book literally
describing the impact your tie or scarf had on people, made history. Advice:
Blue pinstripes are the most believable.
Access to unique information, especially information coming from outside.
You know more than other people about something. You study it, subscribe to
it, and can offer grounded opinions about it. There is a level of interest in your
field that goes beyond competence into something of an exuberant
aficionado.
Channel. Not only do you have access to information, you pass it on in a way
that interprets it for other people inside in terms they can use.
Network depth. You know lots of people both inside and outside the
organization. Many of those people have the same interests you have. You are
gregarious; you are accessible.
Typically, you may be a credible source in your organization for one or two
areas, say, Human Resources or Programming. A person tends to become
branded with a reputation. That becomes problematic when you have to
switch roles. Remember when Noble Prize winning chemists start making
pronouncements about international relations; they hit a credibility issue
square on. The key here is how you do your homework and over-learn what
your new role requires, make connections with existing credible sources and,
yes, look the part.
A Knack For Persuasion?
From Our Far-Flung Readers
“I have to influence people in my work and that means
persuading them to do things they initially find
unattractive. I understand how to approach them with
a ‘what’s-in-it-for-me’ strategy and to anticipate how
they view my idea. And, I think I do a good job at asking
questions and making a logical argument. Yet,
sometimes I am successful and sometimes I’m not. Are
there some secrets of people who really have a knack
for persuasion?”
One thing we know about interpersonal communications is that as much non-
verbal stuff is happening as verbal in any interaction. We don’t consciously
notice this, but it happens and its effects are incredibly subtle. For example,
next time you are chatting with someone at a cocktail party, notice how the
other person is standing. Are they mirroring your stance? Cross your arms. Do
they cross their arms? The mirrored stance is a sign that communications are
in synch. That’s the goal: To get into communications harmony. That harmony
can help in situations where you are trying to persuade someone.
So, how do you speak in non-verbal terms? Here is a tiny distillation of what
the research says. Be advised, some of these may sound odd, but they have an
effect:
Look happy. Let your facial expression show an upbeat you. The idea is that
emotions are contagious. You can become a “sender” of positive vibes. Your
partner will pick up your mood.
Be enthusiastic. Energize yourself; if you are convinced your idea is good,
show it. Use arm gestures, sit on the edge of your chair, modulate your voice.
Nod your head “yes” when you speak and when listening to your partner. The
simple act of moving your head up and down leads the other person to do the
same. When that happens, as strange as this sounds, people tend to agree with
your point of view.
For more information about non-verbal communications, see The Tipping
Point, by Malcolm Gladwell or Carl Hovland, et al., Communication and
Persuasion.
© 2006 Singularity Group
9. Credibility First, Trust Follows
From time to time our far-flung readers call with a real concern. This comes from
a person assuming a new job at a higher echelon of her organization. The
question is: “What can I do to establish credibility at the top executive level?”
A Classic Experiment
Remember this classic experiment? You are asked to look at people delivering
different messages on film. The messages consist of some type of persuasion;
try a new way of planting corn or exercise every day. The questions asked in
the debrief are, “What was the message? Is it worth remembering?” Typically, a
disheveled middle-aged man, hair askew, pie-eyed and kind of sullen delivers
one message. A trim man, craggy features, steel gray hair wearing a crisp
white lab coat delivers the other.
The experiment was more complicated than that but the obvious finding was
that most people picked the message from the guy in the lab coat who, as it
turns out, was a model. The hair guy was a noted scientist, doctor, judge, etc.
As far as immediate recall, people tend to remember and believe the lab coat
person’s message more than the other person. (Interestingly, months after the
initial exposure, people tend to remember both messages equally well. This is
the famous “sleeper effect” identified by Carl I. Hovland of Yale in the 1930s
and 40s.)
So, appearances play a role in credibility. When you think about it, credibility
is the prerequisite of trust. A person who is credible is worthy of trust. He or she
hasn’t actually done anything yet to earn trust, but he or she is in the batter’s
box. Why does that matter?
If you’ve just stepped into a new role, if you’re a salesperson, or you have to
influence people who don’t really know you, your first objective is to establish
credibility. Why? The perceived credibility of a source makes a significant
difference in the acceptance of new attitudes among an audience. The
higher your credibility, the more influence. Obviously, there is a payoff for
looking at how people view you.
How can you affect the perceived credibility of you? Let’s look at the variables.
This data comes not only from Hovland’s work, but also from studies of opinion
leaders in groups.
Appearance. You look the part. This is a prosaic fact of business life;
appearance that conforms to norms lends itself to credibility. While we have
wide tolerance for outside people’s appearance, and in fact to some extent,
half-expect consultants and the like to show up in cowboy boots, we look for
“congruence” internally. In the 1980s, Dress for Success, a book literally
describing the impact your tie or scarf had on people, made history. Advice:
Blue pinstripes are the most believable.
Access to unique information, especially information coming from outside.
You know more than other people about something. You study it, subscribe to
it, and can offer grounded opinions about it. There is a level of interest in your
field that goes beyond competence into something of an exuberant
aficionado.
Channel. Not only do you have access to information, you pass it on in a way
that interprets it for other people inside in terms they can use.
Network depth. You know lots of people both inside and outside the
organization. Many of those people have the same interests you have. You are
gregarious; you are accessible.
Typically, you may be a credible source in your organization for one or two
areas, say, Human Resources or Programming. A person tends to become
branded with a reputation. That becomes problematic when you have to
switch roles. Remember when Noble Prize winning chemists start making
pronouncements about international relations; they hit a credibility issue
square on. The key here is how you do your homework and over-learn what
your new role requires, make connections with existing credible sources and,
yes, look the part.
A Knack For Persuasion?
From Our Far-Flung Readers
“I have to influence people in my work and that means
persuading them to do things they initially find
unattractive. I understand how to approach them with
a ‘what’s-in-it-for-me’ strategy and to anticipate how
they view my idea. And, I think I do a good job at asking
questions and making a logical argument. Yet,
sometimes I am successful and sometimes I’m not. Are
there some secrets of people who really have a knack
for persuasion?”
One thing we know about interpersonal communications is that as much non-
verbal stuff is happening as verbal in any interaction. We don’t consciously
notice this, but it happens and its effects are incredibly subtle. For example,
next time you are chatting with someone at a cocktail party, notice how the
other person is standing. Are they mirroring your stance? Cross your arms. Do
they cross their arms? The mirrored stance is a sign that communications are
in synch. That’s the goal: To get into communications harmony. That harmony
can help in situations where you are trying to persuade someone.
So, how do you speak in non-verbal terms? Here is a tiny distillation of what
the research says. Be advised, some of these may sound odd, but they have an
effect:
Look happy. Let your facial expression show an upbeat you. The idea is that
emotions are contagious. You can become a “sender” of positive vibes. Your
partner will pick up your mood.
Be enthusiastic. Energize yourself; if you are convinced your idea is good,
show it. Use arm gestures, sit on the edge of your chair, modulate your voice.
Nod your head “yes” when you speak and when listening to your partner. The
simple act of moving your head up and down leads the other person to do the
same. When that happens, as strange as this sounds, people tend to agree with
your point of view.
For more information about non-verbal communications, see The Tipping
Point, by Malcolm Gladwell or Carl Hovland, et al., Communication and
Persuasion.
© 2006 Singularity Group
Visit Singularitygroup.com
Click Board! CEOExpress has been our favorite portal for several months, and we’ve just noticed a new link. Now, you can Ask An Expert just about any question about business you can think of. The site promises a response from a bona fide guru in two to three business days. Free. www.ceoexpress.com/ asp/findsvp.asp This is a starting place for research on any business topic from virtual IT departments to business models. An excellent and comprehensive list of articles and links. Worth a visit if you’re curious about what the latest buzz might be. www.brint.com |
| Singularity Group Helping organizations implement change since 1983 For more information: www.singularitygroup.com |
Well-Spoken
"Those who can't
remember the past are
condemned to repeat
it."
George Santayana
"It is not the strongest
of the species that
survive, nore the most
intelligent, but the one
most responsive to
change."
Charles Darwin
"Those who can't
remember the past are
condemned to repeat
it."
George Santayana
"It is not the strongest
of the species that
survive, nore the most
intelligent, but the one
most responsive to
change."
Charles Darwin