Archive for credibility
Let’s talk about HONOR
Posted by: | CommentsWhat do you think of when you hear the word, HONOR? Respect, recognition, reward, position? Or is it something else? Today’s post features a Minute with Maxwell on HONOR. See what I think of when I hear it:
If you’re having difficulty viewing the video, try clicking here or here.
The Minute with Maxwell is a free daily coaching video, delivered by email to you every morning. Subscribing is as easy as filling out the following form:
Also, any day this week, if you go to the direct link for a video and comment there, you’ll be entered for a free signed copy of The 5 Levels of Leadership! Sign up today to start receiving new videos in your inbox.
Thank you for joining me on this journey through The 5 Levels of Leadership. I’ve enjoyed sharing a sneak peek at my book and reading your insights into what makes an effective leader. Now we’ve got just one more week before the book comes out. I hope you’ll purchase and read it – not just for my sake, but because I know that the concepts within it can teach you how to grow as a leader.
Here’s a sneak peek at Level 5: The Pinnacle. I hope it inspires you to become the kind of leader who can eventually rise to that level:
***
Rare is the leader who reaches Level 5—the Pinnacle. Not only is leadership at this level a culmination of leading well on the other four levels, but it also requires both a high degree of skill and some amount of natural leadership ability. It takes a lot to be able to develop other leaders so that they reach Level 4; that’s what Level 5 leaders do. The individuals who reach Level 5 lead so well for so long that they create a legacy of leadership in the organization they serve.
The individuals who reach Level 5 lead so well for so long that they create a legacy of leadership in the organization they serve.
Pinnacle leaders stand out from everyone else. They are a cut above, and they seem to bring success with them wherever they go. Leadership at this high level lifts the entire organization and creates an environment that benefits everyone in it, contributing to their success. Level 5 leaders often possess an influence that transcends the organization and the industry the leader works in.
Most leaders who reach the Pinnacle do so later in their careers. But the Pinnacle level is not a resting place for leaders to stop and view their success. It is a reproducing place from which they make the greatest impact of their lives. That’s why leaders who reach the Pinnacle should make the most of it while they can. With gratitude and humility, they should lift up as many leaders as they can, tackle as many great challenges as possible, and extend their influence to make a positive difference beyond their own organization and industry.
***
P.S. October 4 is the actual date of publication for The 5 Levels of Leadership. I’d appreciate it very much if you would help get the word out. On Twitter, you can use the hashtag #5Levels. And here’s the link that you can share anywhere:
http://tinyurl.com/5levelslead
Thank you!
Don’t Bankrupt Your Leadership!
Posted by: | Comments“We need to keep some confidence in the system.What the Fed is doing … is taking every step possible to keep confidence in the financial system” (CNN)
AIG chairman and CEO Edward Liddy said this Monday, after the insurance giant had received a pledge of $30 billion in bailout money. This was in addition to the $150 billion it had already received.
And in spite of those large sums pouring into it, that very same day, AIG posted a 4th-quarter loss of $62 billion.
I’m sure with his words Liddy was trying to persuade the public that AIG would make good on the investment.
He even went on to say, “In the United States of America when you owe people money, you pay them back” (CNN Money)
So how reassured did Americans feel?
Well, the Dow plunged to record lows, closing below 7,000 points.
Why? Why weren’t Liddy’s words of reassurance enough? Because in past months, the financial industry had lost credibility and thus people’s trust.
***
It’s hard for a financial institution to perform without credibility. It’s equally difficult for a leader to do so. Why? Because credibility is a leader’s currency. With it, leaders are solvent. Without it, they’re bankrupt.
I think leaders in Liddy’s situation – trying to establish or re-establish credibility – need to remember:
1. Establishing credibility takes time.
When leaders are just starting out, this might not be obvious at first. That’s because for about the first six months of a leader’s tenure, followers put more stock in communication than in credibility. After all, they haven’t had time to judge leaders’ actions, so they listen to their words.
But after six months, followers have seen enough of the leaders’ actions to start deciding whether they’re trustworthy or not. At this point, words begin to matter less and less. And the effectiveness of the communication will depend more on the character of the messenger than on the content of the message.
For credible leaders, the longer they lead beyond this point, the better it gets. But if leaders are not credible, then the longer they lead, the worse it gets.
2. Established credibility equals trust.
And trust carries huge rewards. It means confidence. It erases worry and frees you to get on with other matters.
Stephen R. Covey, in his book, The Speed of Trust, said,
Low trust is an unseen cost in life and business because it creates hidden agendas and guarded communication, thereby slowing decision-making. A lack of trust stymies innovation and productivity. Trust, on the other hand, produces speed because it feeds collaboration, loyalty and ultimately, results.
Good leaders know that if their followers don’t trust them, they’ll stop following them. Credibility is truly your currency as a leader. People believe that you’ll do what you say when you do what you say.
Consistently live what you communicate, and over time you’ll establish solid credibility. With that, your followers will feel free to trust you. And they’ll be willing to partner with you in achieving great things for your organization.
And that’s especially important in times like these when people are wondering what – and who – they can trust.
