One of the most important aspects of followship and leadership is credibility. Credibility is neither awarded or won, it is earned. The formula for building credibility is through authenticity and trust. To earn the credibility of others you must be willing provide that authenticity and trust to others in advance.

A word that is used often to denote a building block of trust is vulnerability. Extending vulnerability into an untrustworthy environment can often change the entire tone of a team, department, company, or nation. When teams are asked what is the most valuable trait their best leaders exhibit, the answers include trust, loyalty, and authenticity.