Using the "Establishing Your Credibility" characteristics outlined on page 134 of your textbooks prepare a list of examples for each characteristic. Give special attention to aspects of projecting a professional image and building relationships. Use the textbook information provided for each characteristic to guide the development of each example. Example: Honesty Providing constructive, content-related feedback to peers when reviewing work and collaborating on a team. Addressing a mathematical error in a report or presentation. Students should directly address course content from the unit reading to complete this discussion post. Providing accurate information in your own words is imperative to the successful completion of this exercise. Students must demonstrate their understanding of the course content by providing responses that reflect evidence-based responses. Make sure that you cite the textbook in APA format and provide in-text citations for all paraphrased material used in your discussion post. ESTABLISHING YOUR CREDIBILITY Audience responses to your messages depend heavily on your credibility, a measure of your believability based on how reliable you are and how much trust you evoke in others. With audiences who don't know and trust you already, you need to establish credibility before they'll accept your messages (see Figure 5.2). When you do establish credibility, communication becomes much easier because you no longer have to spend time and energy convincing people that you are a trustworthy source of informa- tion and ideas. To build, maintain, or repair your credibility, emphasize the following characteristics: Honesty. Demonstrating honesty and integrity will earn you the respect of your au- diences, even if they don't always agree with or welcome your messages. Objectivity. Show that you can distance yourself from emotional situations and look at all sides of an issue. Awareness of audience needs. Directly or indirectly, let your audience members know that you understand what's important to them. Credentials, knowledge, and expertise. Audiences need to know that you have what- ever it takes to back up your message, whether it's education, professional certi- fication, special training, past successes, or simply the fact that you've done your research. Endorsements. An endorsement is a statement on your behalf by someone who is accepted by your audience as an expert. Performance. Demonstrating impressive communication skills is not enough; people need to know they can count on you to get the job done. Sincerity. When you offer praise, don't use hyperbole-over-the-top exaggeration, such as "you are the most fantastic employee I could ever imagine." Instead, point out specific qualities that warrant praise.