Lying, cheating, manipulation... all these are obvious examples of behaviour that undermines the credibility of employees in the eyes of their colleagues, subordinates and superiors. We do, however, not have to be habitual liars or cheaters to undermine our own credibility. We often don't even realize many small manifestations of distrust in our daily work. What should we therefore be careful about?
You send copies of e-mails to your superiors
Frequent use of the "reply to all" button and forwarding e-mails to your boss, her boss and everyone in between will undermine your credibility very quickly. Act independently.
You complain all expect those directly involved
If you dislike what someone did or did not, tell him/her first.
You handle unpleasant issues by e-mail or delegating
Solve difficult issues personally. Do not hide behind one-way communication.
You do not tell the whole truth
Insincerity and excuses will not last long. They speak for themselves.
You promise what you can't deliver
If you do not take your words seriously, why should others do it?
You appropriate others' achievements
Even if you came up with a new idea or you worked the most on its implementation, never forget the other people around who helped you and supported you.
You give up your accountability
If you make a mistake, admit it. Do not blame others and do not put yourself into the role of a victim.
You don't trust others
You can gain the othres' trsut only by trusting them.
-kk-