Developing Credibility in Leadership

In a major study conducted by leadership experts James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner, credibility is revealed as a cornerstone of leadership. The research, which covers over 15,000 leaders, 400 case studies and 40 in-depth interviews, shows that leaders can encourage greater initiative, risk taking and productivity by demonstrating trust in employees and resolving conflicts on the basis of principles, not positions.

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“The best leaders won’t say ‘do as I say’, but rather they’ll say ‘do as I do’.”

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A leader is someone who adds colour and tempo to the company. When you’re in a leadership position, all eyes are watching you. As a result, you hold the power to influence all of these people through your actions. If you’re practicing what you preach, and your ethics are aligned with those you expect from your employees, you are morally empowered to affect positive organisational change. You should never demand behaviour from your colleagues and subordinates that you personally don’t adhere to.

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Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg gained international recognition for being a shining example of credible leadership in action. For about two years, the teenager challenged her parents to lower the family’s carbon footprint by becoming vegan and giving up flying. In August 2019, Thunberg sailed across the Atlantic Ocean from Plymouth, UK to New York, USA in a 60-feet racing yacht equipped with solar panels and underwater turbines. The carbon neutral trans-Atlantic journey showed that her actions aligned with her words. It is no wonder that Greta Thunberg is a credible symbol for climate change.

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Whether you’re leading nations, organisations, social institutions or a family, a leader’s credibility is the number one factor in bringing about transformation. One of the reasons why Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela continue to inspire future generations is that there was congruence in the words they spoke and the way they led.

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Picture these situations:

• A habitual latecomer boss tells off their subordinates for being late
• A leader appreciates a subordinate’s work in public and promises them a promotion. The same leader quietly promotes instead, someone who spends a lot of time with them
• A company announces a major cost cutting drive, and strangely the board organises a conference in a five-star hotel to discuss future plans
• A company goes overboard with advertising about caring for its customers. There however, is no response from their corporate office to several letters addressed to the CEO about a pending matter
• A senior manager misuses their power and perquisites, such as using the company car for personal purposes or taking their family out for dinner at the company's expense

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These are some examples from my exploratory research about the lack of credibility in management. When there’s a gap between what a leader says or stands for, and the actions they take – the “Saying-Doing” Gap – they are unable to inspire confidence in people.