TABLE OF CONTENTS One topic that is seemingly overlooked, yet plays an important role in managing projects, is credibility.
Credibility is one of those abstract terms that is difficult to define but quite apparent when lacking. For purposes of this book, credibility is defined as behaving consistently with beliefs and expectations. Without consistency, a credibility gap can arise. Also, one's credibility will constantly be on trial. Credibility is very hard to get and very fragile. [1]
[1]James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner, The Leadership Challenge, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, 1987, p. 24.
Ethics, trust, and integrity are interrelated. A breakdown in ethics, for example, can lead to a decline in trust that will result in a loss of integrity. The linkage can occur in different sequences. However, that is not the key point. The key point is that whatever order they influence one another, a breakdown in one ultimately leads to a breakdown in credibility.
When credibility falls, many problems can arise that affect goal attainment. Some problems include a lack of teaming; reluctance or unwillingness to share information; poor communication, both vertically and horizontally; lack of coordination; no creativity; and self-absorption. The overall consequence is that a goal is not achieved or marginally so.
Credibility is a very important topic from a project leadership perspective for several reasons.
Project managers often lack formal, functional control over team members. They must establish credibility very carefully and maintain it to be effective.
Project managers must communicate constantly...
