Credibility and Trust at Work

Connect learning to your work

A practical place
to begin.

Build credibility through the work people can observe

Professional credibility grows from more than sounding certain. Colleagues need to understand the basis of your recommendation, the limits of your knowledge and whether they can rely on the agreements you make. This program explores how individual contributors strengthen working relationships through clear reasoning, realistic commitments and responsible follow-through.

Begin by looking at a collaboration that involves uncertainty. What information does the other person need from you? Which assumptions might they make if you do not explain a limitation? Showing your reasoning can be more useful than presenting a polished conclusion with no indication of how it was reached. It gives others a chance to contribute relevant information before acting.

Make an honest recommendation

Consider an illustrative assignment to compare two options for a team process. You have spoken with some users, but one group has not yet responded. Practice making a recommendation that distinguishes the evidence collected from the interpretation you are offering. Explain what remains uncertain and whether that uncertainty should delay the decision or simply be monitored.

Then prepare a commitment about the next step. Name the result you can deliver, the information you depend on and the point at which you will communicate a change. Avoid accepting a deadline on somebody else's behalf. A reliable agreement is one that both people can understand and that reflects the authority you actually have.

Address a problem before it becomes a surprise

Explore how to raise a risk or mistake promptly without exaggerating it. Describe what happened, who may be affected and what you propose to do. Invite the other person's perspective on the consequence. Taking responsibility includes helping to resolve the problem, while keeping the account accurate and proportionate.

Strengthen a recurring working agreement

Choose a handoff, recommendation or shared responsibility that matters in your role. Prepare a clearer explanation of the evidence, the commitment and the review point. After trying it, ask whether your colleague had enough information to proceed. The program can be useful across departments and levels of experience; the emphasis is on behaviors you can practice within your own professional responsibilities.

Practices to develop

• Present a recommendation that separates the evidence collected, the interpretation offered and the questions that remain open.
• Set a realistic expectation about a deliverable without making a commitment on behalf of someone outside your authority.
• Raise a mistake or risk with a factual account, its possible consequence and a proposed next action.

Topics to explore

Your learning focus.

Start where you are

Who it’s for.

Individual contributors and cross-functional collaborators

Bring a workplace situation you want to approach differently. We can discuss your experience, priorities and the support that would be useful before agreeing on delivery.

Learning that fits your context

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