Credibility
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What Is It?
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Success
If trust is eroding, stop to stabilize the situation
and then move forward. This may make you crazy,
but it is better than spinning your wheels in place.
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Credibility is earned through an
open, honest process which produces relevant
results. Without credibility, no one is going to take you seriously.
People will not participate or they may attempt to sabotage
your process. A process that follows the primary rules for success
will build trust and acceptability for your actions. Credibility
means that participants:
- Take your word at face value
- Understand your role in the decision process
- Believe that you will do what you say you will do
- Understand how you got your data
- Trust you to analyze the data objectively
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Getting It |
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Create and maintain credibility by:
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- Involving others to find answers.
- Being willing to consider all questions.
- Being an equal opportunity data handler (i.e. share information
with everyone).
- Being the most complete and reliable source of information--especially
bad news!
- Not limiting information access unless absolutely necessary.
Release information on request. (At the very least, explain
what is confidential and why. The public automatically assumes
the worst--an assumption nearly impossible to dislodge.)
- Telling people quickly when things
change.
- Openly discussing issue and problems will defuse public
speculation about myth-truths and
enhance trust and credibility.
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Losing It |
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The fastest ways to lose credibility include:
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Pitfalls
Losing credibility is easy--getting it back is nearly
impossible. |
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- Ignoring the need for analyses
and clarifying underlying assumptions
- Keeping to a rigid schedule
instead of taking time to resolve conflicts
- Assuming everyone understands issues and needs
- Excluding publics and not responding
to comments
- Being arbitrary about anything
- Ignoring cultural differences
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Go On |
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Helpful
Hints TourCommunication <------>
Participants |
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