Credibility isn't just content expertise. It's content expertise plus "presence," which refers to how we look, act, react, and talk about our content. It depends not only on the substantive reality of the advisor's expertise, but also on the experience of the person doing the perceiving. As the chapter on relationship building suggested {Chapter 5}, we must find ways not only to be credible, but also to give the client the sense that we are credible. We must illustrate, not assert. Why
Credibility involves both having expertise in a subject and demonstrating a strong presence. This presence is the way we present ourselves, which includes our appearance, behavior, and communication style. It emphasizes that being credible goes beyond simply having knowledge; it also relies on how that knowledge is perceived by others. This interplay between the expert's qualifications and the recipient's interpretation is essential for establishing trust.
The development of credibility requires us to ensure that clients perceive us as trustworthy. As indicated in the chapter on relationship building, it's important for advisors to not only affirm their expertise but to actively demonstrate it through their interactions. This means focusing on illustrating competence and reliability rather than making claims without supporting evidence.
