Today we will reflect on a competence of interpersonal intelligence that is reliability. Reliability tells us about a person in whom it is possible to trust and place trust, basically, because he has a remarkable track record, the results of his management are always in accordance with expectations, he meets the established parameters, he provides security and robustness both in the means and in the ends he uses, he acts diligently, he proposes and executes improvements.
On previous occasions we have talked about the importance as leaders and as professionals of generating trust. Now, I would like to point out a nuance, and that is that the trust we generate in others implies the personal decision they have to make to take a risk and trust me.
On the other hand, when we talk about trustworthiness it implies that others already have a background about me that allows them to trust, they have already made an evolution of my personal characteristics or attributes that offer them greater guarantees to trust me.
Therefore, in order to generate personal relationships that inspire trust in others, it is important that I develop my trustworthiness.
3 levels of reliability
When we talk about reliability, we are talking about consistency on three levels:
1) over time, (reliability is built and consolidated over time).
2) at the internal level (coherence in self-perception, between what the person thinks, says and does).
3) between different people (the perception of consistency is shared by different people).
This competence is highly valued in organisations, both in team leaders and in professionals in general, and is closely related to other competences detailed above such as self-knowledge, self-motivation, influence or leadership.
3 Pillars of Reliability
I would like to emphasize the three pillars that form the foundation of reliability, the three “I’s.”
They are as follows:
• INFLUENCE:
For a professional to be reliable, he or she must take care of the results of his or her work, the quality of his or her service. To do this, they must be recognized for their skills, knowledge and/or experience.
The person has a reasonable basis of excellence in the execution of their work, and is interested in keeping abreast of developments in their area of expertise, which allows them to have that impact on their criteria, based on their knowledge and results.
The reliable professional is a valuable reference in his field of expertise, he is recognized for the solidity of his technical capabilities and for the effort he dedicates to his learning and continuous development, to his self-correction and to his search for excellence in the process.
•INTENTION:
In this sense, the reliable professional clearly shows a positive intention in his actions, honestly seeks the best relationship with the people with whom he interacts, without prevailing the pursuit of his own personal interest.
In teams, leaders show this positive intention by helping team members to perform their tasks in the appropriate way, encouraging and promoting the development of people’s talent.
The reliable leader understands the strengths and weaknesses of the people in the team, and helps to find creative solutions to their problems, sincerely communicates a common vision, ensures respect for shared values in the team.
In this positive intention, the reliable leader maintains justice and security, recognizing and rewarding behaviors in an equitable way among the members.
• INTEGRITY:
The reliable professional will remain firm and assertive with respect to a set of ethical and moral principles shared and accepted in the team and/or the organization.
Reliable professionals are accountable for their actions and management, treating others honestly and consistently. Reliable leaders show individualized concern and respect for their employees, propose fair rewards and in their decision-making they follow equitable criteria, listening to and valuing the opinions of others.
HOW CAN I TRAIN MY RELIABILITY?
We have talked about the three “I’s” as pillars of reliability.
I would like to propose that you take pen and paper and reflect in writing on these issues related to each aspect:
•INFLUENCE:
Reliability simply means meeting expectations and being responsible.
How much quality is your work?
What is the degree of satisfaction of your clients, bosses or users with whom you carry out your projects?
How can you increase your knowledge or skills to be better at what you do?
What do you need to develop to become better at what you do?
How do you correct your mistakes?
How do the professionals in your area that you admire behave?
What aspect do you observe in them do you want to develop in yourself?
•INTENTION:
Positive intent is important for developing your trustworthiness. Sometimes this involves doing things that are inconvenient or personal sacrifices.
How do you demonstrate the positive intent of your actions to other people or your team members?
How can you foster a relationship with others that supports the common good or the good of the team?
Where do you place your self-interests in relation to the common interest?
How can you help your team members more with what they need?
•INTEGRITY:
Be yourself. Start by being an authentic person, which allows you to always be the way you really are. Don’t adopt a false identity in order to please others. Take care of your verbal and body language.
How much do you respect and promote the shared values of your team or your organization?
How much do you keep your promises or commitments?
A reliable person does what he says.
Think carefully before committing, it is not about accessing everything, but about being assertive and fulfilling what you have decided and with what you have been involved.
What is the relationship between what you say and what you do?
Be congruent and coherent between what you think, what you say, and what you do.
Are you sincere with your comments and opinions?
Always be honest with what you think and feel.
Try to take care of the way you express yourself.
How do you behave when talking to or judging a person who is not present in the conversation?
Be reliable
To be trustworthy, it’s best to be unbiased and listen to others.
Avoid speaking ill of others, much less behind their backs.
It is always best to convey your ideas and feelings directly.
How do you react to negative or disagreeing views with you?
“Remember to continue developing your talent to reach your best version”
