Competency Strengthens Trust
Cathie Leimbach • July 26, 2022
“People have confidence in those who stay fresh, relevant, and capable,” says David Horsager. When one is seen as competent, others are much more willing to delegate work without micromanaging.
Tony Robbins, who is known for encouraging people to develop their potential – to become their best, emphasizes that being competent isn’t all that matters. Others must view us as competent before they will trust us. It is up to us to demonstrate our competence. He shares several ways that we can demonstrate competence.
- Don’t be modest. Don’t be arrogant either. However, it is important to speak up about your strengths, volunteer for opportunities to demonstrate your knowledge and skills.
- Have an opinion. When a colleague asks for you ideas, share them. Never say that you don’t have anything valuable to say, that they should consult others instead of you, or that you don’t care about the matter at hand.
- Ask for advice. When you show that you aren’t a know-it-all, you are open to gathering information from others, and you have a collaborative mindset, others will appreciate you more. This increases their willingness to collaborate with you, giving you opportunities to demonstrate your competence.
- Be honest. Tell the truth, even if you think others may not like it. If others ask you to work in area in which you don’t have competence, let them know it is one of your weak areas.
- Demonstrate confidence. When you are competent, show your competence and confidence by speaking clearly, using a positive, assured voice, and displaying strong body language.
When you are competent, take advantage of opportunities to demonstrate it. This will strengthen the trust between you and your colleagues.
Inspired by the research of Linda Hill, Harvard Business School
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