Larry D. Lauer

Without credibility there simply is no believable communication.

When any CEO accumulates a history of lies, and makes daily statements that don’t ring true, credibility might sometimes be suspended for a while. Supporters try to accomplish this by saying, “Don’t take his tweets seriously, many of his policies are good.” But when self-serving statements such as “only I can handle this,” are constantly added in, many people begin to worry about what might happen in a crisis.

Learning on the job about big issues is required of all leaders. When the choice is to try to talk without knowledge, statements often turn out to be untrue. Even when reading from a prepared text, vocal tone will sound hollow, and even added personal comments will sound off the mark.

Make no mistake, credibility is never earned in a crisis. Falsehoods about issues such as climate change, military attacks, border closings, diseases, foreign countries, past administrations, and anything else will accumulate over time… and needed public trust will simply not be there when it’s needed most.

Acting out long-standing ignorance during a crisis is unbearable to watch… and holding daily press conferences to try to look in change and blame others will never work.