Building HR’s Credibility, Trust and Influence FAQs

There is no fixed timeline, and this will often depend upon the maturity of the business leaders. What we see consistently is that HR leaders who focus their early effort on one or two important relationships and one or two visible wins tend to gain real traction faster than those who try to build credibility everywhere at once and spread themselves too thin.

Being liked is largely about rapport, whereas being credible is about having judgement that the business relies on, including when the pressure is on. The two often go together, but credibility supports more robust conversations.

Largely, yes, although an established track record helps credibility travel faster. Using the framework of our Seven HR Enablers, the seven practices below are worth applying deliberately to each new relationship rather than assuming that credibility earned elsewhere will transfer automatically.

1. Perspective – build visibility of the complete picture, not just the people aspects of it
Develop real fluency in the business, not just HR’s corner of it, so that you understand the numbers, current pressures and competitive picture well enough to discuss them confidently. Regularise questions into business relationships to ensure that you’re always up to date.

2. Connection – nurture your relationships deliberately
Identify the three or four stakeholders whose confidence and trust genuinely matter to what you’re trying to achieve, and invest in those relationships specifically rather than everyone who asks for time. Be as careful with your time as you are with your money.

3. Balance – explain the dilemma, don’t just promote HR’s agenda
Leaders are more likely to trust advisors who show they understand the conflicting interests. When you advise on a decision, be clear about what it costs the business as well as the risks and benefits for people, even when that conversation is uncomfortable from an HR perspective.

4. Focus – identify where HR’s work drives value
Credibility comes from providing a sound business argument for HR’s activities, and delivering the impact that you promise. Make sure you understand the root causes for issues, and bring your business case to life with examples of the impact on the customer experience or business outcomes.

5. Push – bring a clear point of view, backed up with powerful data
Business leaders respect people who are prepared to commit to a position and defend it with conviction and sound data. Take every opportunity to repeat and reinforce examples of how HR adds value informally in routine conversations as well as in formal presentations.

6. Rigour – define success in the business’s own terms before you start
Agree up front what success will look like, using the language and measures the business already understands, such as retention in a critical role, time to productivity or delivery of a change milestone, rather than relying primarily on HR process measures that lack relevance in business leaders’ minds.

7. Reputation – advocate for HR’s work, don’t leave your reputation to chance
Build a habit of talking about, in business terms, what HR’s involvement actually changed. Develop a clear message – a strategic narrative, or an operational story – that makes the business outcome clear. Across the function, give your HR team the words to use and get them used to talking about their success – it’s infectious!