#26 Building Credibility: Earn Trust and Become a Go-To Team Member

In today’s competitive work environment, credibility is everything. But how do you earn trust and position yourself as the reliable, go-to team member without feeling like you have to prove yourself constantly? In this episode, we’ll explore the key habits that build credibility over time, from delivering consistent results to owning your expertise and contributing value to your team. Learn how to develop strong relationships, maintain professional integrity, and become someone your colleagues and leaders naturally turn to for advice and support. By the end of this episode, you’ll feel empowered to build lasting credibility in your organization.

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Transcript

Hi, and welcome back to Wise Women’s Workplace! I’m your host, Anita Belitz, and today we’re diving into a topic that is foundational to your career success: credibility—specifically, how to earn it and become the go-to person on your team.

In the last episode we talked about how we want people to notice the great work that we do so that we become a sought after individual by those key influencers and decision makers in our organization, and credibility is an important part of what makes people trust you, rely on you, seek out your opinion, and invite you to get involved. But here’s the thing: you can’t build credibility overnight. It’s earned through consistent actions, showing up prepared, and doing what you say you’re going to do.

By the end of this episode, you’ll have a clear understanding of how to build credibility in your role, and how to make yourself an indispensable team member.

I worked with a guy I’ll call Larry. We started working together when our organizations merged, and we had pretty different approaches to work. We got along okay on a personal level - I actually kind of found him endearing at times -  but I would say that when it came to working together it was always a little frictional somehow. Among his different work habits, Larry was in the habit of padding the time required to do things - it was like he wanted to make sure that he was never going to actually reach the deadline and often it came out like an “own goal” as he usually finished before the deadline and always under budget (because the budget was padded too…). This was strange to me because I'm the kind of person who tries to be very reasonable in my estimations. It doesn't mean that I can't allow for a bit of a margin for unforeseen circumstances but I'm usually quite modest in my estimations. So, I wouldn't say the same was true for Larry.

Our differences made working together a little complicated at times - on joint projects I always wanted to be more on the reasonable side and he always wanted to pad things out. I was irritated with his approach and would always try to reign him on on the timings and on budgets and he would always try to reason with me to pad thinks out so we wouldn’t look bad if we couldn’t hit the mark. We usually tried to find a middle ground but sometimes things didn’t work out very well. Once in a moment of vulnerability he said in an exasperated way " I don't know how you do it. you always just get it done.”  at first I was taken aback by his small outburst,  but when I thought about it it was true - I did usually just make things work. I was used to making things fit - getting it done on time and within budget, with total transparency.  

And one year, when I was responsible for the budget reporting, there was a big discrepancy between budgeted and actual numbers in Larry’s activities. While his performance looked stellar on paper, it turned out to be mostly down to the padding that he did and that his subordinates did because the cumulative padding made for that big discrepancy. He looked like he did way more profits than budgeted and saved a ton of costs. The big problem was how to explain it, because nothing had really changed in the activities like a big marketing push or a real cost savings, it just looked like there should have been lots of efforts but, like I said, it was down tot he padding. 

I was a little unsure about how to report on the situation because we had to include details on the bigger discrepancies in the management letter that accompanied the accounts, so I confided in my boss. A bit surprisingly to me, my boss reacted by saying something like “yeah, that doesn’t surprise me. Just include his numbers and his comments and he’ll have to explain it.” And when we went to report it higher up, the reaction was the same. 

I don’t know about you, but to me this was shocking. I was afraid we would look silly in the Board meeting. During our preparatory meeting the Chairman asked me some questions about the numbers and I answered as transparently as possible but at some point he asked me point blank if there was anything that he should be worried about. I had to decide in that moment if I should put my finger on that big budget and performance difference and I decided to explain the situation because I was sure he had seen it but didn’t ask about it specifically. The Chairman was an impressive person and quite frankly it made me nervous to give him bad news but I thought it would be even worse if the details came out during the Board meeting and he didn’t have the details prior, so I told him in as few words as possible that Larry had padded the numbers that his subordinates had already padded, and this led to the discrepancies.  He kind of sighed and just said “Auto goal” and that he wasn’t surprised. So apparently everyone knew about Larry’s affection for padding… And I was actually later told behind the scenes that everyone was so used to it that they automatically adjusted his numbers in presentations. 

That day, I learned that Larry’s word wasn’t taken seriously. It was an important lesson. And I knew the Chairman was testing me - he was checking to see how much information I would share and how transparently. It was the right move for me to be transparent because it influenced what happened a few months down the road,  but more about that later. 

Let’s talk about how YOU can earn trust and become a go-to team member in your organization. 

Step 1: Be Reliable and Deliver Consistently
The first key to building credibility is reliability. People need to know that they can count on you to deliver consistently. If you say you’ll do something, do it. If you commit to a deadline, meet it. If you say you’ll be there, be there. 

What does this look like?
It’s not about being perfect—it’s about following through on your promises. Even if things get tough or the unexpected happens, communicate clearly and don’t leave people guessing. When people know they can rely on you, they will come to you first for important tasks or to get reliable information. 

Example:
Let’s say you’re working on a project with a tight deadline. By consistently delivering on your part of the work—whether it’s submitting a report on time or completing your tasks ahead of schedule—you’re showing that you’re someone who can be trusted when it matters most. This will definitely be appreciated by whoever is in charge of the project as they will know they can count on you. In an unavoidable situation where  you can’t avoid being late on something, make sure to give enough warning and seek out guidance on how to remedy the situation. Sometimes it happens and we can’t avoid it, but sitting on the information instead of being upfront about the challenge and what you are doing to fix it will not help to get things done. So be as reliable and consistent in your performance as possible.

Action Step:
This week, focus on one area where you can improve your consistency—whether it’s meeting deadlines, showing up prepared, or following through on commitments. Small steps in reliability add up over time to demonstrate that you are a credible person.

Step 2: Own Your Expertise and Don’t Be Afraid to Speak Up
The second step to building credibility is owning your expertise and not being afraid to share your insights. Credibility is about being knowledgeable in your area and confidently contributing when your skills are needed.

What does this look like?
If you’re in a meeting and your area of expertise is being discussed, don’t hold back. Be ready to offer your insights and show that you know what you’re talking about. People respect and trust those who aren’t afraid to speak up when they have value to add. To do this, make sure that you are prepared and that you know your stuff. If you have statistics that you can prepare for your regular team meetings, for example, you can lean on these when an important discussion comes up on your topic. Those around you will perhaps be surprised and your boss certainly impressed. Having this kind of information available makes you seem like the expert in these situations. If you hear some kind of unrealistic deadline, for example, you can at least bring this up and use statistics to back it up.  

Example:
In a team meeting, instead of sitting quietly and listening while others talk about your area of work, offer your perspective: “Based on my experience with this, I think we should focus on…” By contributing your knowledge, you’re positioning yourself as a credible expert in the room.  When there are questions, you will have your statistics ready to support your recommendations! 

Action Step:
At your next meeting, make an effort to prepare in advance by identifying one area where you can contribute your expertise. Practice speaking confidently, and remember that your voice adds value to the conversation. Be confident in your capabilities! And the more you practice, the easier it will get. 

Step 3: Build Relationships and Foster Trust 
The third step is about building strong relationships with your superiors AND your colleagues. Credibility isn’t just about what you know—it’s also about how you work with others. People are more likely to trust and rely on you if they feel that you have their back and that you’re easy to work with.

What does this look like?
Being approachable, listening to others, and showing that you’re a team player are key to building strong professional relationships. When people know that you’re not just focused on your own success but are invested in the success of the team, your credibility grows.

In my situation with Larry, this was tough because I had to be very transparent about what he was doing. But this honesty was important because it showed the Chairman that he could count on me to be transparent, even when it was difficult. And later, when I was COO, and the organization had an extended gap between Managing Directors,  the Chairman decided that he felt comfortable with working with me directly because he knew he could count on me to be honest and effective. It was one of the greatest learning opportunities for me in my career. (I will also say that it was extremely hard but I wouldn’t have traded it for anything!)

Example:
If a colleague is struggling with a task, offering to help or share resources can be a great way to show support. These small gestures of support build trust and strengthen your credibility. On this, just be careful that you ask for permission to support them so they don’t feel like you are trying to take over or take credit for their work because sometimes people can be sensitive to that. 

Action Step:
This week, identify one way you can support a colleague—whether it’s offering help, sharing knowledge, or simply checking in with them. Building these relationships will enhance your credibility and strengthen your relationship with your team. The more people see they can count on your support and that you do what you say you are going to do, the most they will trust you and will feel that you are credible. 

Summary of Learning Points
Before we wrap up, let’s quickly summarize today’s key takeaways. Credibility is the foundation of your success, and it’s built over time through your actions and how you show up for your team.

Here are the main points to remember:

1. Be reliable and deliver consistently: Make sure people know they can count on you by following through on your commitments, no matter how small.
2. Own your expertise and don’t be afraid to speak up: Be confident in your knowledge and share your insights when they’re needed—your input is valuable.
3. Build relationships and foster trust: Credibility grows when you show that you’re a team player, invested in the success of others as well as yourself.

By focusing on these strategies, you’ll build trust and credibility in your role and position yourself as the go-to team member.

I hope today’s episode has helped you see how important credibility is in becoming a sought-after team member. It’s not about doing everything perfectly—it’s about showing up, being reliable, and earning trust over time.

This week, I challenge you to think about one way you can strengthen your credibility in your role—whether it’s by being more consistent, owning your expertise, or building stronger relationships with your team.

In our next episode, we’ll talk about setting boundaries without apology and how to protect your time and energy to help you carve out some time to think about your career while at work. 

As always, if you want a career and life that makes you happy, be mindful of what you’re doing and take deliberate actions every day. Don’t just survive—take steps to thrive! I look forward to speaking with you again soon. Until next time, may you be healthy, wealthy, and wise!