Credability

Communicators need to be credible in order for their message to persuade anyone. That is a very hardcore claim, but it is very sound. I do believe that you need to be credible before I believe anything you say.

In about 3 weeks I will being a P.A.L for Paws Preview, my second term of leading these freshman (also known as retarded kittens, my God it took me 20 minutes to get them from Alkek to LBJ...ugh) Anyway, so when I was doing Paws last year, I noticed that these kids really looked up to me. They figured I knew exactly what I was talking about.

Many of their worries going into school were things like, failing out...drinking too much...letting their family down. Stuff like that. So when I was trying to answer all their questions and alleviate their fears, I would say stuff like. "Oh its ok, you can figure out the balance between partying and school." "Schools really not that tough once you figure out."

This is coming from a guy who's got not the most respectable GPA.

For some reason though, they trusted me. I think it was because of my credibility going into it. I will graduate from college, something a lot of people can't say. I've figured out that balance and worked hard in school. I think that these kids trusted me based off that idea that I knew what I was talking about.

I was 21 when I did this, the hell do I know!?!?!

Haha, it just blew my mind how much these kids trusted me. And when I was reading the chapter on credibility I kept thinking about the trust these kids put in me. I came through and I think the credibility was due, but at the same time. Think for yourself? But then again, they are 18, coming from High School so its understandable. I think they wanted answers, and I gave them that.