Written by: Vickie Sullivan | May 21, 2020
Thought Leaders: How to Get People to Listen to You
One thing I like to do during my Harvard’s Women’s Leadership Board meetings is report key findings on social media. Judging from the comments my posts get, people seem to appreciate my “fly on the wall” perspective.
I was a little surprised recently, though, when one commenter said a widely respected panelist I posted about lacked credibility due to accusations from political leaders. That had me thinking: How do people choose who to listen to and believe?
There’s a lot of psychology around how people seek sources that agree with their current views. Let’s look at this from a credential standpoint, though. In a world where all thought leaders have cool credentials, how can you use your achievements to appear more believable than other thought leaders in your field? Two observations:
• When you infer you have access to sources that others don’t, people have a tendency to listen in. It’s that attractive “I’ve got a secret” seduction that gets people every time. This works great for perspectives based on the nontangible, such as high-level conversations and observations.
• Drilling down on your role is where methodology and killer stats can connotate credibility. It infers a deep dive and discernment, and it works great for counterintuitive findings. When people understand the project you spearheaded and what you did there, they are more apt to believe your recommendations.
Listen: How to Prove You Know Your Stuff
Given the political times, a mere accusation is enough to sow distrust among the believers. That’s OK. But if you want to appeal to objective thinkers, using your achievements as groundwork for credibility can give you a running start.
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