Leader's FICO Score (#4 of 4)

“Credit-ability”—credibility—is the leader’s FICO score.

Credibility is that combination
of trust and confidence that convinces people
you can successfully lead them into the future.
As a result, they voluntarily decide to follow you.

Both trust and confidence are essential to credibility. People may trust you, but if they don’t have confidence in you, they will not follow. And like trust, confidence has to be earned.

The starting point for confidence is in relationships.

“People today demand personal relationships with their leaders
before they will give themselves fully to their jobs.”
Bill George, True North

People have little confidence in leaders who are invisible, unavailable, impersonal and uncaring. Want to increase confidence in your leadership? Open your office door.

Courage is: (1) take the first step—lead from the front where it is risky; (2) slay the dragons that only the prime leader can slay; and (3) always accept the blame for failure. Why was German General Erwin Rommel such a great leader?

“The Desert Fox led from the front.
His mode of leadership was to place himself physically wherever the action was hottest…”
Steven Pressfield, Killing Rommel

A key component of confidence is the leader’s track record. Don’t expect people to enthusiastically “move out’ with you if your last four change initiatives have all failed. People will follow leaders who have “been there and done that.” So, building a track record of success is a really big deal for anyone who wants to lead really big change.

If you want to lead, do not underestimate the importance of credibility. Remember, you can’t lead without it because:

“The most essential quality for leadership is…credibility.”
Rick Warren