Credibility

A claim without proof is an opinion. Senior leaders usually have plenty of proof; the problem is that it is invisible, scattered across old roles, confidential projects and other people's memories.

Credibility comes from five sources: credentials (what you have earned), results (what changed because of you), voices (what others say about you), thinking (what you have published or taught), and the company you keep (who chooses to stand next to you).

The test is practical. If someone asked why they should listen to you, could you give three specific proofs in sixty seconds, without sounding like a CV? The leaders who can do this are introduced differently, invited more often and trusted sooner.

• Your best results are described as 'we' with no numbers.
• You have no recent recommendations or testimonials you can share.
• Your thinking lives in internal decks nobody outside has seen.
• You struggle to answer 'what are you known for?'