{"id":3343,"date":"2015-07-27T16:23:20","date_gmt":"2015-07-27T15:23:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.awareplus.co.uk\/presentation-skills-blog\/?p=3343"},"modified":"2015-08-06T16:39:16","modified_gmt":"2015-08-06T15:39:16","slug":"credibility-statements","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.awareplus.co.uk\/presentation-skills-blog\/credibility-statements\/","title":{"rendered":"Credibility Statements"},"content":{"rendered":"

I’ve been travelling far and wide up and down the country, and I’m so very glad for the bluetooth in my car to keep me educated and entertained as I travel. Way down in the south of England recently I introduced people to the idea of \u00a0‘Credibility Statement’ at the start of their presentations. But they didn’t like the idea, because to them it sounded like bragging.<\/p>\n

It isn’t – it’s just giving people a reason to listen to you… let me tell you what I mean. A Credibility Statement is something you’d use instead of starting a presentation with either of the two typical\/traditional introductions\u00a0in the boxes below…
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\r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n
“Hello… erm…. I’ve been asked to to to ermmm… to talk to you today about X… But I’m not sure why ‘cos I’m far from an expert” (Oh really? In which case what the heck gives you the right to stand up there and take up my time, eh?)<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/td>
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“Hello. My name is Dr XYZ. I have been studying this for 10 years and I’m an expert. As I said in my book “All about X”. And I’ve recently been interviewed on Radio Four about it” (Oh for heaven’s sake, stop showing off… just get on with telling me what I need to know!)<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/td>\r\n \r\n <\/tr>\r\n <\/table>\r\n<\/div><\/p>\n

The problem with the first approach is that it undermines your credibility as a presenter. My time is important to me, so why would I want to spend it listening to someone who admits they don’t know what they’re talking about? Even if they do know their stuff, and it’s just false modesty, it makes them look like they don’t. \u00a0(So don’t do it. Clear?)<\/p>\n

And the problem with the second approach is that you just look like a tosser. No one likes an ego on stage in front of them.<\/p>\n

A Credibility Statement cuts to the chase and gets past these problems by establishing why I should listen to you in a way that doesn’t sound like bragging because it’s not opinion, it’s fact.<\/p>\n

The rules for a Credibility Statement are:<\/p>\n

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  1. it should be short<\/li>\n
  2. it should be overwhelming \/ unarguable<\/li>\n
  3. it should be objective (that is, without opinion).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    \"mike_lever_new_results_training\"

    Mike Lever of New Results Training receiving his award as Sales Trainer of the Year<\/p><\/div>\n

    Let me give you an example: Mike Lever<\/a> is a friend of mine and a great sales trainer. A bad start for Mike might be something like “I’m the best sales trainer in the country” which is contestable, because it’s just a matter of opinion. On the other hand he can (honestly) say “I’ve been voted Sales Trainer of the Year”. It says the same sort of thing but it’s not anything you can argue with as it’s a (simple) statement of fact.<\/p>\n

    If you’ve got the stomach for it, have a listen to (the first few minutes of) this famous video (below). It shows candidate Phil Davison at a hustings. When youv’e had enough, stop it and then ask yourself the question under the vid…
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