Think about a credible leader. Believe it or not, credible leaders are few and far between. According to the 2017 Edelman Trust Barometer, 63% of survey respondents said CEO's are only somewhat or not at all credible. In other words, 63% of employees donβt trust their leader. Last week, I was honored to spend the day with my friend, Preston Jones, while I taught leadership at the Wisconsin Register of Deeds Association (WRDA) Fall Conference. Preston is one of the seemingly rare credible leaders who recently retired after spending about 27 years as the Manitowoc County Register of Deeds. While I haven't seen Preston since the 90s, he was the same inspiring person I remember... humble, competent, positive, trustworthy, appreciative, passionate, empathetic, consistent, and caring.Β When I asked Preston about his best professional decision, he said, "The best decision that I ever made was when I hired Kristi Tuesburg."Β When I asked Kristi, Preston's replacement, about him, she said, "Preston set the highest standard for integrity." My sister, Shann Deprey, who worked with Preston in the 90's, recalled, "The entire office treated me like family, and I still consider them my family today." You see. Preston earned credibility through his day-to-day behaviors.Β The lesson: You build credibility by earning it, not demanding it. What are you doing to earn credibility as a leader? #WRDA #MoveToDevelopOthers #ShiftBook
