Coaching practices for Credibility and Trust
Describe almost anything you are working through and IX Coach finds the practices whose real-world fit is closest. For Credibility and Trust, these are the strongest matches in the current practice library.
Does this sound like the set of challenges you might be facing?
- When I want people to take me seriously I tend to lead with my résumé and how much I know, and I can feel it land as bragging
- I say "I’ll send that over" or "I’ll get to it" and then a bunch of those little things quietly slip my mind
- I won’t hand anyone real responsibility until they’ve completely proven themselves first
- I keep everything at work behind a polished, guarded front
- When I’m handed something past what I actually know, I nod and act like I’ve got it rather than admit the gap, then scramble in secret to cover
Practices that may help
- Signal credibility without claiming it
Let your knowledge show through questions and specifics, not through declarations of expertise.
The Trust Equation, Made Practical - The Trust Equation, Made Practical
The Trust Equation (Maister, Green, and Galford) holds that trustworthiness = (credibility + reliability + intimacy) ÷ self-orientation. The model is a practitioner framework rather than a rigorously tested theory, but it usefully names the levers — especially self-orientation, which is the single biggest trust-killer most leaders overlook. - Build reliability through small, visible commitments
Reliability is built not by big promises but by flawlessly keeping small, everyday ones.
The Trust Equation, Made Practical - Extend trust deliberately to invite it
Trust others first, in bounded ways, before they have earned every dimension — it is how trust is built.
The Trust Triangle - Lower your guard to raise the intimacy score
Sharing something real about yourself makes others feel safer sharing something real with you.
The Trust Equation, Made Practical - Be transparent about your competence limits
Name what you can do, what you can’t, and what you’ll need to learn — before you are found out.
The Trust Triangle - Use powerless communication to build trust
Ask questions and admit uncertainty rather than projecting confidence — it builds credibility with givers.
Give and Take: The Giver Advantage - Earn the right to deepen the relationship in stages
Trust compounds over time — start with technical credibility and expand into intimacy as it is earned.
The Trust Equation, Made Practical - Audit and reduce your self-orientation
Self-orientation is the denominator: a small increase in it wipes out gains in all three numerator variables.
The Trust Equation, Made Practical - Invest in the relationship before you need it
Build relational credit through reliability and initiative, not charm or performance alone.
Leader-Member Exchange (LMX), Made Practical
Related concerns
- Competence Trust Building
Name what you can do, what you can’t, and what you’ll need to learn — before you are found out.
Be transparent about your competence limits
- Trust And Competence
Name what you can do, what you can’t, and what you’ll need to learn — before you are found out.
- Earn Trust From Boss
Build relational credit through reliability and initiative, not charm or performance alone.
Invest in the relationship before you need it
- How To Build Trust At Work
Sharing something real about yourself makes others feel safer sharing something real with you.
Lower your guard to raise the intimacy score
- How To Build Trust In The Workplace
Trust others first, in bounded ways, before they have earned every dimension — it is how trust is built.
Extend trust deliberately to invite it
- Recognition That Builds Trust
Sharing something real about yourself makes others feel safer sharing something real with you.
Describe your situation in your own words to search the complete practice library.