Character Credibility

As the Olympic fever is still on the rise, we might as well talk about it in relation with credibility and business. Have you heard of Justin Gatlin, the American sprinter who raced 100 meters in Qatar in the most amazing time of 9.76 seconds which equals the world record? It made him the fourth man to winning a World Championship, an Olympic Gold Medal and holding the world record. But based on Wikipedia, Gatlin was eventually banned from athletics and his 9.77 performance which was set in May 2006 was considered void.

If you ask me, if I am an athlete or in any field known worldwide, I like to be remembered for the achievements I have done in order to have historic significance and so to earn a place in the record book.

If the lessons in leadership, classroom curriculums and sermons in churches seem to have worn out the characters of persons lately, they do so for good reason. Scandals in the corporate world are not the only discomforting evidence of character deficiency in the world. The society has come face to face with an appalling shortage of morals in whatever field.

Cultivating Credibility. Leaders, unlike before, are examined for airtight character. In this climate of doubt, the credibility of a leader may vanish with a short-lived moral slip. Here are some tips in developing a realistic foundation as a leader.

Character Counts. The reputation is based on external perceptions and can change due to accusations or very unfortunate circumstances. This character is built on decisions made internally and remains the solid rock among changing situations. Eventually a leader’s strength or even his weakness of character will succeed.

Individuals Act and Organizations Create Cultures. The people are the engines that will drive organizations. The productivity of the organization will entirely depend upon the quality of work they give to its workers. The impact of the organization on the society will depend on the decisions of the leaders of these organizations.

The actions of the individual shape the outcomes of the organization. Companies do not give to the community without individuals choosing to be generous. Neither do businesses take advantage of the shareholders and partners with the selfish actions of the individuals. The credibility of the corporations relies on the individual character.

However, organizations do cultivate cultures, and these are highly communicable. A culture of transparency and honesty will positively pressure the employees to act with ethics, whereas a culture of corruption will result into deceit.

Trust is the Foundation of the System. Before the 9/11 incident, we just ride the airplane with a little concern for safety. After the incident, tightened airport security resulted to levels never before seen. To regain the trust, the FAA or the Federal Aviation Administration have to adjust procedures to make sure that the passengers boarding the flights had been screened for weapons and other dangerous materials.

While trust is the main pillar of the airline industry, the same thing goes with business as it must be transacted with a foundation of trust. In the early part of the 21st century, amidst the widespread corporate scandals, good faith has been replaced by strict rules and regulations. If the word of a corporate executive once sealed the deal, safeguards and laws have been implemented to protect us from fraud and forgery.

Once the trust has been broke, restoring the credibility will take an extra effort. Leaders must learn to earn trust and give value to it dearly.

The Heritage You Leave is the Life You Lead. Credibility is not found on the intentions but on actions. Leaders inspire when they clearly express the message in words, and they also mark their message in the hearts of those they lead when they live it day by day.

Being a hypocrite will trap a leader of its credibility. The phonies and the fakes have a short life in leadership. The reason is when their credibility goes down, they have no basis of respect from which to lead.

You Can Yield A Difference. Despite the leaders who exploit, who misinform and who control, people still is longing for leadership. In particular, people long for leaders who demonstrate character and who are willing to serve those they lead and who do things with their team’s best interests in mind. These leaders who build their credibility and willing to shoulder the responsibility will always attract loyal followers.

Compared before, character and credibility are the important points to leadership. The important part is that you can make a difference. You can change the leadership culture by attending always to your character and you can lead effectively by earning and influencing credibility.

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