Building Credibility in Your Relationships
You will agree with me that we all need relationships to thrive in life.
I am also sure that you were born into a family and have friends.
We need people to be there for us, help us and support us. Simply put, relationships are invaluable.
But let me ask you these questions:
- Have you proven yourself credible in the relationships you have?
2. Do you have people in your life who can vouch for you?
3. Are your relationships just based on emotions and sentiments?
This piece aims to help you learn to build credibility in your relationships, thereby strengthening your bond.
What Does It Mean To Be Credible?
Credibility is the ability to instil trust or belief in a person with respect to your competence, skill or character. The word credibility might be abstract but very tangible. An organization will take a person’s recommendation for a job very seriously because of the credibility of the person who recommended the applicant. Credibility is an invaluable currency that can generate awesome results when it is built. Credibility gives you a name.
Why Should You Build Credibility In Your Relationships?
A person who knows you so well will go all out to help you than a person who you are just trying to build a relationship with. Hence the reason for building credibility in your close relationships.
It is commonly seen that we get too familiar in our close relationships that we wing it — I mean you do not feel like your close friends should know you are credible. This is a very wrong mindset. You don’t have to be so formal with your close relationships but even in the midst of that, build credibility. They observe you subconsciously and quietly even if they don’t say anything and they might not correct you but they are gradually forming a perception of you.
Imagine you sell corporate gift items and some of your friends happen to spend the weekend at your place. They observed how you delayed the delivery of the parcel to your client.
At another time, you complained to them that a client did not make the complete payment because you delivered late and they sympathized with you.
At another time, you forgot the delivery date of another client and they heard about it, and in fact, they followed you to apologize to the client.
Let me tell you what you might not know, they have seen you as an unserious person, you have no credibility with them with respect to your business but they might never tell you.
How To Build Credibility In Your Relationships
We often hear the clause “Toot your horn”, when most of us do, we only show people who are not so close to us how credible we are. This might not have as much impact as somebody close to you.
A person who is close to you will be so willing to put in a word for you when there is an opportunity only if you have built credibility with them. Let them know how good you are at what you do.
You are not being proud, you are only building credibility. Share testimonials and feedback with them, you might feel like they should know you are good, but it’s better to be sure they know than for you to assume.
When your friend patronizes you treat them seriously, you will be doing yourself a great favour. If there will be a delay in delivery communicate with them professionally as you would for general clients. Don’t be too familiar and lose credibility in the process.
This is also important because when they sight an opportunity they can recommend you confidently without thinking you will mess the recommendation up.
When you build credibility with your close relationships, you allow them to add value to your life. As I always say when there is an exchange of value the bond gets stronger. If you have ever gotten a job through a friends recommendation, I bet you will love them forever. Building credibility can strengthen relationships.
In conclusion, tell your mum, dad, sister, brother and friends about how good you are at what you do and show them proof.
I’ve got good news for you, watch out for it in my next post.
I want to see you grow, I’m rooting for you.
