Counterfeit Credibility

A former employee of mine used to talk about people's passive-agressive behavior and I had the hardest time getting a grip on what he meant. I'd ask him what he meant and typically get a clinical answer until it hit me that it was saying one thing and then doing something else. Ha. I thought that was lying! Or just plain bad behavior and a lack of credibility. I'm a plain English type guy and either someone has credibility, or they don't. They're either lying, or telling the truth. Right?  Covey, in his book Speed of Trust, introduces the Four Cores of Credibility; Character, Competence, Intent and Results and I pound these out in my training and coaching. We'll cover these four cores in the coming weeks, but first, what does Counterfeit Credibility look like?

Credibility, or lack of, shows up most in behaviors.Googling counterfeit brought up over 7 million hits and credibility 948,000. Counterfeit means; made in imitation so as to be passed off fraudulently or deceptively as genuine; not genuine; forged: counterfeit dollar bills. Pretended; unreal.

Credibility means; capable of being believed; believable: a credible statement. Worthy of belief or confidence; trustworthy: a credible witness.

So, Counterfeit Credibility is when one's credibility, or credible statement, or credible witness is an imitation, deceptive, not genuine, and deceptive.

See if you recognize any of these counterfeit behaviors in yourself or those around you:

• Technically telling the truth
• Legally splitting hairs
• Spinning the real issues
• Withholding information (well, they didn't ask the right question)
• Hidden motives and agendas (arg, I know you aren't supposed to hate, but I seriously can't stand this one)
• Passive-aggressive behavior
• Being driven by circumstance and not conscience
• Being two-faced; pretending to care
• Pretending to pay attention
• Being busy to look busy and not getting results
• Not accepting the blame when it is your fault

These behaviors destroys others trust in us, AND your trust in yourself.

To that end....