Are You a Credible Source?
I am sure that you have read an article or listened to a reporter outline a story that included a reference to the source or sources responsible for the information being reported.
Sometimes the sources are named, sometimes their identity is protected, but the threshold for citing a person as a source is their credibility or reliability. You never read that the information was provided by a discredited or unreliable source. What would be the point in reporting it if the source of the information was either unqualified to provide the information or completely ignorant on the subject matter?
It makes sense that if you are going to rely on someone’s opinion or consider what somebody thinks, you should also ensure that the person is a credible source. Yet, how often do you spend time worrying about what someone thinks of you without considering the source and whether the information they share with you is credible?
I like to think that it is human nature to be considerate and kind to others, but that consideration should not extend to accepting the unqualified or inherently flawed opinions and thought processes of others. It should be as important to you to ensure that the sources you allow to influence your thoughts and behaviors are as credible as the sources reporters use to determine what is newsworthy.
This is especially true when you apply the question of credibility to yourself. When you are confronting a problem, particularly if you have not confronted one like it before, are you a credible source of information and knowledge that will properly equip you to handle it? Might it be a good idea for you to consider other sources that may be more qualified to help you work out a solution?
I know have used this analogy before, but I am going to use it again because it directly applies here. When given the choice between reading a biography or an autobiography on the same person, I will always choose the biography as long as the author is known to have done his/her research and presented a thorough version of the subject’s life.
Why? Well, first of all, the purely biographical version is more likely to be presented without bias. If I am interested enough in someone that I want to read their life story, I want to read a realistic portrayal of that subject not a glorified or glossy version. Whether it comes to reading about someone or truly getting to know someone, I want to know about the true person or get as close as I can to knowing the true person.
Second, you and I aren’t always the most qualified sources to objectively weigh in on ourselves. I think that people tend to lean toward one of two evaluative categories. I believe people tend to either think too much of themselves or too little of themselves.
Often times, if you think too much of yourself, it is a form of protection. Your ego may be too fragile to accept that you are less than perfect, or you are unwilling to do the work to constantly improve yourself to achieve your full potential.
Conversely, if you tend to think too little of yourself, you are usually so use to not being perfect or concentrating so much on all the things that you need to do to consistently improve that you don’t give yourself nearly enough credit for all the great things that you do on your daily journey toward bettering yourself and your individual situation in life.
Either way, the question has to be asked when you are assessing yourself, or a particular problem you are facing. Are you a credible source? At the very least, are you the credible source?
I have always been a big believer in collaboration, and I believe in people who are collaborators mainly because in order to be a true collaborator, you must accept the premise that you do not have all the answers and that it is not a sign of weakness. You must be a good listener and open to other qualified opinions and insights. You are not perfect, but you are committed to being better and you realize that goal is often best achieved when you work through challenges with other people who have earned your respect and support. I want to work with people like you!
If you have a problem, sometimes you may find that you are reluctant to talk about that problem with someone else. Aside from avoiding a discussion because you may feel vulnerable or embarrassed, you may convince yourself that your problem is exactly that, your problem. You may believe that no one else is interested or wants to hear about the things that are bothering you, but here is the flaw in that thinking. Everyone has problems. Everyone has things they are thinking about or that are weighing them down. No one is happy and completely Zen all of the time!
Isn’t it likely that you will find better, stronger solutions to your problems or the things that are bothering you if you expand your sources beyond yourself? This is especially true if you agree that you may not be the most credible source, at least some of the time.
Isn’t it also likely that by seeking advice and insight from respected sources, you may also be creating an opportunity to help those sources with anything they may be struggling with or trying to figure out?
Problem solving, evaluating, and decision making are almost always the most valuable when they are not conducted on a one-way street. Often times, the best decisions are made when you find yourself in the center of a clearly drawn circle surrounded by credible, reliable, and trustworthy sources of input and insight.
So, the next time you find yourself working through something, be sure to identify the sources that you need to put you in the best position to solve the problem and make the best decision. And, thoroughly evaluate those sources especially if you intend on being one of them.
Author’s Note: If you are fortunate enough to have children as a potential source of perspective and insight in your life, please avail yourself of the opportunity to listen to and talk with them as often as possible. My daughter is the valuable source behind this article.
