Credibility in Communication – the Heart of a Great Reputation

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In an environment of fake news and diminishing trust in corporations, credibility in communication has never been more important.

Key elements of credible communication include demonstrating accountability, transparency and integrity.

Accountability is taking responsibility for your decisions and actions.

Transparency is being open about the reasons behind your decisions and actions.

Integrity is being ethical in the implementation of your decisions and actions.

The Edelman Trust Barometer, an annual global survey that’s been measuring trust and credibility in the four institutions of business, government, non-government organisations and media for the last 18 years, provides some important insights for corporate communicators and business leaders alike.

While recent surveys have highlighted peer-to-peer communication as the most trusted source of information, the 2018 survey¹ indicated a renewed confidence in experts, particularly in technical experts and academics, as those we now trust most.

CEO credibility also rose sharply and nearly two thirds of respondents said they want CEOs to be proactive on policy changes rather than waiting for governments to act. Edelman says this show of faith comes with new expectations and that building trust (69 per cent) is now the top priority for CEOs, surpassing producing high-quality products and services (68 per cent).

Furthermore, president and CEO of Edelman, Richard Edelman, says that “trust is only going to be regained when the truth moves back to centre stage. Institutions must answer the public’s call for providing factually accurate, timely information and joining the public debate”.

With increasing skepticism in the factual veracity of content in all forms of media, an important takeaway message of this research for all organisations is to embrace the principles of accountability, transparency and integrity in delivering company news and information.

When your communication channels are perceived as credible, trusted sources of content, you will, in turn, help build a great reputation for your business.

^{1 https://www.edelman.com/trust-barometer}

Want some help building a great reputation? Contact Ros at [email protected] or visit https://www.rosweadman.com.

©Ros Weadman 2018.   Ros Weadman is the creator of the Reputation Equation™, founder of Melbourne PR & Marketing Group and author of BRANDcode®, a marketing guide for small business.

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