This is the latest phrase coined by HR guru David Ulrich, he uses the term to describe the most important traits for successful HR people which are derived from his latest survey. Being a credible activist is made up of several elements (see our newsletter at http://www.hrwithguts.com/ for more details). One of these traits is the ability to persuade others to your point of view. This is an area we agree is critical for HR professionals. So over the next few weeks we will be exploring this more deeply. However there is also an element mentioned in the name ‘credible activist' that implied credibility. A key component of persuasion and also a preoccupation of HR people who do not have it with their clients. And as you would imagine much less of a preoccupation for those who do have it. There has been a lot written about this and what creates it and I believe there is a lot of mis-information about what makes HR credible.

We hear many HR people bemoan the fact that they cannot challenge the client or they will lose their relationship and their credibility. They say yes on the same bases even to requests they know are wrong. So what does make up credibility? Well in my experience it is a number of elements.

Think about this scenario. You are going to purchase a second hand car and you are approached by a salesman. Probably your first instinct is to doubt this person's credibility to be honest about the cars. It is after all his job to sell them. So when he points out many interesting features that you have not noticed, features designed to persuade you to buy the car you are probably less impressed than if he was an objective or neutral person doing the same thing.

However if the sales person is smart and on one particular car that you have expressed interest he tells you about a number of disadvantages to the car your attitude towards him is likely to shift. Why because he is apparently working for you and in this case against his own interests. Here lays a clue for the HR person. Credibility comes from working for the client. Not in the sense of agreeing with them but in helping them make a smarted decision and pointing out the faults of the decision they were about to make.

So next time you are about to challenge the client think about how you do that and why. Are you doing it because you are policing a policy or HR ‘best practice' or are you doing it in the interests of this client and their long term success? Out research showed that HRBP's who held this belief were more challenging but also more successful and had deeper relationships with their clients. So check your motivation and your degree of credibility may become an area of comfort not worry.