This book offers advice on how to be a capable, credible, and trustworthy leader in the workplace

Credibility is undermined when we don’t walk the talk, violate ethical standards or suffer from a serious behavioural dysfunction that affects our ability to solve problems objectively. Any aspiring leader must work very consciously to build credibility and reputation, even though sometimes it may not bring immediate or tangible outcomes. Following principles in a complex environment may require some well-intentioned compromises for the greater interest. However, leaders must navigate turbulent waters with great tact and understanding of the context. What’s important is to build a reputation by constantly reflecting on your actions and taking responsibility when things go wrong.

Discover yourself

To be credible as a leader, you must be clear about the values and standards by which you choose to live your life. Your values guide your feelings, thoughts, words and the way decisions are made and acted upon. Discovering yourself requires intense work, a most difficult task. Sometimes, it requires us to give up some of our most cherished notions about ourselves to discover the person we can become. This inner work should help align your values and actions, as well as alert you in case of any dissonance. Once you are clear about your values, translate them into a set of guiding principles, a credo that you can communicate to the people you lead.

After all this hard work comes the real test. A leadership philosophy is not enough; you must have the competence to deliver on your promises, the will and the skill to prevail over adversity. Test your confidence against the realities of the challenge. “To be a credible leader, you must have a character whose essential ingredients are credo, competence and confidence.”

Lead by example

Leaders succeed in achieving organizational goals by mobilizing and engaging the people who work for them and with them. They achieve this by providing substantive empowerment and support. Merely giving motivational talks while ignoring concerns or underplaying problems does not deliver results.

One of the key factors that helped me effect a major turnaround for the bank was connecting with the field managers, their teams and the customers and listening intently to their concerns. I would discuss all the issues raised in my interactions with the top executive team and the functional heads to make appropriate decisions and implement them.

We all endeavoured to take decisive action and set right the internal management processes to fix problems without loss of time. This helped improve trust between the corporate office and the operating units, giving us superb business results and enhanced management credibility. Eventually, we could execute a host of technological initiatives to build customer and employee centricity. Finally, it helped us build an ecosystem for business innovation. The management’s credibility and the high level of mutual trust among stakeholders enabled us to drive change and achieve extraordinary business outcomes.

Deny instant gratification, fulfil promises

Instant gratification may put you in the limelight temporarily and make you appear credible, but it can become stressful and impractical if everyone expects it all the time. Avoid the temptation to make promises out of excitement or to please others. Always consider the demands or requests others make, and say ‘no’ gracefully when necessary. Make sure to fulfil the promises made after careful consideration, and avoid coming up with excuses not to carry them out. A busy CEO or leader can maintain a diary of assurances or promises made in order to initiate actions on the same.

Develop personal discipline

Practise personal discipline, as it is critical to building credibility, whether in punctuality or being responsive. Leaders are expected to be role models, and if their actions, behaviours and decisions are at variance with their expected roles, it does not set the right tone or inspire others. Credible leaders must be sensitive to and reflective of their personal discipline.

I remember working with a leader who was otherwise competent but was a very poor time manager, making people wait for hours, including customers. Despite many good qualities, he faced reputational loss on this count.

Listen before you act

Credible leaders lead with a sense of accountability. Listening is one of the most important aspects of developing one’s own reputation. Listen to everyone around you, including those who may disagree, in an honest and open manner. Participate in dialogue-based conversations and decision-making processes. Credible leaders actively listen before implementing the necessary changes. Listening well is invaluable for managing potential conflicts, swift problem-solving, improving teamwork, making tough decisions and abiding by principles. The enduring lesson here is to ensure that we are listening to our stakeholders, giving them space to air their challenges and taking appropriate actions expeditiously.

Excerpted with permission from The Gym of Leadership: Insights to Help You Build Your Leadership Muscles, Anil K Khandelwal, Penguin India.