Back in 2002 I had the fantastic opportunity to attend the ASTD conference in New Orleans with the delegates from South Africa. What a fabulous experience it was and one that is firmly etched on my memory of learning experiences.

 

I got the chance to hear many good speakers and some great ones who were thought-provoking and inspirational, one of which was Jim Kouzes. Jim spoke with authority, intelligence and eloquence about leadership, stating, “In today’s world we can’t be a leader and not be involved in change…..leadership has nothing to do with fame, fortune, position, or age, but it is about who we are and what we do – about our behaviour.”

 

He also said that anyone can lead if they are given a challenge or a situation that they really care about.  When I was listening to Jim Kouzes speak, what made the difference for me, against other speakers, was his passion, his total belief in what he was saying and the way he used stories and symbols to illustrate his view to make it ‘real’.

 

Was he credible? Yes he was! What I experienced was a complete congruence and alignment in his speech, his passion and his behaviour not only through the conference but also through his writing and the enthusiasm he demonstrates regarding his work in the field of leadership.

 

Credibility is the foundation of leadership. Credibility is beyond the words. As Max De Pree writes in “Leadership Jazz”: “At the core of becoming a great leader is the need always to connect one’s voice to one’s touch…”

 

How congruent and aligned is your message with your voice and actions?

 

People want leaders who are credible. They want to be able to trust them, believe they’ll do what they say they’re going to do, they want to be personally excited about the times and challenges ahead. Kouzes and Posner sum this up in their First Law of Leadership - “If you don’t believe in the messenger, you won’t believe the message”.

 

Your leadership challenge:

·         What is the message you are giving to your people and are you giving it with confidence and passion? How do you know? What feedback have you had? If you need to, change it – NOW.

 

·         How much credibility do you have as a leader? Within your team, your peers, your organisation as whole? How do you know and how can you find out?

 

·         In what ways can you build your credibility even further? What impact would this have on the success of your business?