The importance of credibility and its fickleness

Bowe Bergdhal

Two important stories captured the headlines last week. Army sergeant Bowe Berdaghl, the only known American prisoner of war, was released by the Taliban after five years in captivity. So traumatic was his captivity that  he is even unable to speak  English. Berdaghl is currently recovering in an American hospital in Germany. The other story was about teaching assistant Jon Meis subduing a gunman with pepper spray in Seattle Pacific University, preventing many deaths. The gunman was reloading his gun after shooting dead one student and injuring several others, when Meis intervened.


While both these young men endured in the face of adversity, the reaction of the American public to their stories couldn't have been more different. Meis, was labeled a hero; strangers tracked down his wedding registry and the gifts began pouring in.  An online campaign launched by another stranger to fund his honeymoon far exceeded the target.

Berdaghl, a war hero,  on the other hand was the target of the public's ire. There were serious political repercussions to his release - five militants were released in exchange without the knowledge of the Congress. But politics aside, much of the anger was directed against Berdaghl himself. This started when a former sergeant of  Bergdahl's platoon labeled him a deserter responsible for the loss of lives of several colleagues  who searched for him. The social media was soon abuzz with calls to label him a traitor, and so strong was the anti- Bergdahl sentiment that his homecoming ceremony in his hometown Hailey, Idaho, was canceled due to security concerns (including death threats).  Interestingly, none of the news against Bergdahl has been confirmed yet. The Army, despite his disappeance had not classified him a deserter. Defense secretary Hagel, and several others have repeatedly urged the public to not demonize a soldier without evidence.

The marked difference in the public response to these two typically heroic deeds emphasizes the importance of credibility in leadership. It also illustrates why perceptions matter more than reality. Integrity lies at the core of credibility. Studies have shown that Americans tend to consider their military leaders most trustworthy because we can count on them to place their lives on the line to secure ours. This is what Jon Meir did, and it immediately struck a chord. It appears that Berdaghl despite his military credentials as the only prisoner of war, took a big blow to his credibility when the deserter tag, even if unsubstantiated, was attached to him.

These stories can also be used to examine French and Raven's (1959) bases of power in leadership. Leaders usually wield five types of power: legitimate (due to their position), reward (ability to reward followers), coercive (ability to punish),  expert (due to their expertise), referent (due to their personal characteristics). Here, Berdaghl despite his legitimate power due to his military credentials was unable to influence the American public that he was a hero, because his referent power (his integrity) was in doubt. On the other hand, Meir despite no legitimate power ( he was not a guard), influenced the American public due to his referent power (his courage and integrity).

Leaders must therefore not take it for granted that they can influence their followers because of their title as a manager or CEO. In the long run it is the personal characteristics of the leader that matter. Individuals without any legitimate title can wield influence in their organizations by acquiring credibility through their personal characteristics of integrity and honesty. For example, Gandhi never held an official position in the Indian National Congress, but was the first person people turned to for guidance - so strong was his personal power.

Personal power however takes years to build, and can be lost in an instant. And perceptions matter than reality. Which is why a leader with strong values is able to build a strong base of personal power, and is also able to withstand the occasional inevitable fall from grace.  In "If" Rudyard Kipling discusses the qualities of the ideal man as 
    If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

    And treat those two impostors just the same

 

A leader guided by his inner compass is the man Kipling is talking about....