7 Tips to Build and Maintain Credibility in the Workplace

Credit professionals have a hand in every aspect of the order-to-cash process—everything from collections to cashflow forecasting, supplier vetting and contract review. Use your irreplaceable industry intelligence to build and maintain credibility in the workplace—ultimately becoming a source that upper management can rely upon.?

#1 Be a Problem Solver

As a credit professional, you are one of the first to see problems arise, and staying up to date on what is happening inside and outside the company increases credibility. “The company may not necessarily see the risk but you can use your sources such as credit and trade references as a warning sign,” said Sherri Kratz, CCE, CICP , credit supervisor at Green Bay Packaging, Inc. (Green Bay, WI). “Having the analytical skills to decipher, understand and adjust to data and information from different sources makes you far more credible.”

To be a trusted business advisor, you have you dig a little deeper to find the essential information for your company, said Kevin Chandler , CCE, director of financial services at Zachry Industrial, Inc. (San Antonio, TX).?“It may take several days but the quality of the information you collect makes you more credible to upper management,” Chandler said. “Also, pay close attention to what information is relevant for your audience. And do not be afraid to say, ‘I don’t know.’ Just make sure you go find out what it is and let them know.”

#2 Earn Designations

Just like auto repair shops invest in training for their mechanics, businesses should invest in upskilling for their credit managers. Building credibility is especially important for credit professionals who are new to the field, and one way to do so is by earning a designation.

Earning designations through?NACM’s Certification Program ?helps build credibility as it makes you a subject matter expert in credit for your company and in the credit industry. “NACM is well respected and offers so many educational programs and sources of information on credit, economics and business,” Kratz said. “An NACM designation will help you easily build rapport with other credit professionals who understand the value of the designation.”

Designations signify a level of intelligence and integrity, said Scott D. Chase, CCE CICP , global director of credit at Gibson Brands, Inc. (Nashville, TN) who remembers earning his first designation about 17 years ago. “It shows that you took the time to learn from others in the credit industry beyond the book knowledge,” he said. “I would not have gotten my job back then if it wasn’t for having a designation.”

#3 Be Willing to Adapt

As a credit professional, you must perform a variety of tasks that require both hard and soft skills. “Credit managers must have the ability to use multiple software programs and platforms,” Kratz said. “Credit is ever-changing, so you must continue to sharpen those hard skills for program software and understanding data. It allows you to do your job more efficiently and reprioritize your energy onto riskier and more urgent avenues.”

Being able to gather and analyze financial data is not enough. “Making that information useful in order to make credit decisions and developing the bigger picture is just as important,” Chandler said. “You want to be seen as someone that is thoughtful and able to draw conclusions from the data. This higher-level thought process can help with risk mitigation and the success of the company as well. This process never stops.”

#4 Be a Team Player

In credit, strong customer relationships not only ensure payment but establish credibility for the credit department and the company. The more you know about your customers, the more trust they have in you and the more credible you become. “Be able to speak to your customer so that you understand their business,” Kratz said. Get to know them on both a professional and personal level. “That way, you get more respect from your customer as well.”

Strengthening the relationships with other departments within the company and upper management also increases your credibility. They need to know they can trust you with more than credit and collections. “I always overdeliver,” Chandler said. “If they ask for something, I give them multiple options. If they need information by Friday, I make sure it’s done accurately by Thursday. This way, they seek you out for more opportunities which will help you grow in your career.”?

#5 Share Knowledge with Others

Being able to communicate effectively is not just knowing what to say, but how to say it. By strengthening your communication skills, people will more likely rely on you as a credible source of information. This includes listening intently and being concise whether it’s a one-on-one or collaborate meeting. It helps to prepare notes ahead of time so that you can better communicate with credit staff, other departments, upper management and customers.

#6 Establish Integrity

Integrity refers to where your actions and your words align. Credibility is the quality of being trusted or believed in. These two concepts go hand-in-hand at the workplace. Credibility is granted when you’re hired for the position as they trust you to do the job but integrity has to be earned, said Chase. “The idea is to forget higher expectations and strive for higher results. For me, the higher results come from the integrity, intelligence and the ability to maintain that knowledge in an environment that needs you to do so.”

#7 Take Responsibility

No one is perfect. At some point, you will make a mistake. Making mistakes does not discount credibility, but how you handle those mistakes will make or break the way upper management views you. It is key to take accountability, find the best way to remediate your mistakes and prevent the same mistake from happening again.

Join NACM’s virtual?Credit Thought Leadership discussion group ?today to continue the conversation with other credit leaders. You also can sign up to participate in our NEW?Mentors and Milestones program .