Authenticity equals influence. How do others see you?

Leslie DicksonPosted by Leslie Dickson on April 15th, 2010 | 0 Comments

Communication skills – Leadership skills – VoicePro® Inc.The Gallup organization does an annual survey to determine who Americans believe have the highest level of honesty and ethical standards. Nurses lead the pack, followed by druggists, medical doctors, police officers and engineers. At the bottom of the list? Members of Congress, who barely beat out car salespeople, stock brokers and HMO managers in the race to the bottom. The rest of us? Somewhere in the middle. 

It’s interesting (and, well, just a little entertaining) to look at the world in that cut-and-dried way. But we all know people in every profession everywhere whose authenticity we can count on. You’ve bought a car from someone you trust. You’ve voted for a legislator you believed in. How did you know you could trust them? We say it’s “just a feeling.” However, the fact is, human beings are constantly gauging credibility by reading very real signals people give in every interaction.

Now you’ve probably got two questions in your mind. 

  1. What are the signals of credibility? (More on that in a minute.)
  2. Are people judging me by them, too? (You bet they are.)

Let’s take a look in the mirror and see how the way we communicate affects perceptions of our authenticity and credibility – and what we can do to raise our scores. The good news is, the indicators people watch are skills you can learn. With this knowledge – and practice – you can communicate credibility that builds your influence. You can take steps to boost the trust of colleagues and customers, supervisors and employees. You are in control of how much impact your words have with others. 

Here are some proven tips we’ve been sharing with others at VoicePro for more than two decades. Try these ideas in your next presentation or conversation and see the difference:

  • Be open. Credible people have nothing to hide, no need to be defensive, and nothing to prove. They can listen, keep eye contact, and have relaxed body language. Their easiness communicates integrity.
  • Breathe deeply. When you speak you’ll project your voice with an air of confidence. When a situation gets tense, this advice gets twice as important.
  • Turn off the “internal critic.” You know that voice that tells you you’re not smart enough or strong enough?  Don’t listen.  It can unnerve you, cause you to act in ways that aren’t authentic. Learn to trust yourself – and others will, too.
  • Loosen up and share your enthusiasm. Your comfort is contagious and so is your dynamism. You’ll connect with people and they’ll respond with trust and respect.

Want to dig a little deeper? You’ll find more tips and newsletter ideas on building influence, creating more powerful presentations and developing a strong presence at our website.

Image by Gregg Obst

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