| Credibility has long been considered an important element of leadership effectiveness. Yet, little research has investigated the nature, sources, and outcomes of organizational leaders' credibility. This paper presents an analysis of interviews with 60 leaders in two professional settings -- academic medical centers and law firms -- in which credibility emerged as a central theme and a driving force shaping leaders' behavior. I provide a top-down, as opposed to subordinate-centric, portrayal of leader credibility in professional service firms. In specific, I discuss how leaders conceive of their own and other leaders' credibility and how they respond to their beliefs about its requirements.;Drawing on the interviewees' responses, I define credibility as the perception on the part of a potential or actual leader's professional peers, subordinates, and superiors that he or she is worthy of respect and consideration as a source of influence. My findings suggest that leaders pursue credibility through at least two important avenues: attempts to influence perceptions of their competence to serve the group's mission and attempts to influence perceptions of their allegiance to the interests of their professional constituencies. This research also examines processes influencing the pursuit of credible leadership candidates. According to the interviews, search committees favor leadership candidates who appear credible on the basis of past professional accomplishments but give less attention to leadership skills as a consequence. |
