SYSK TRENDING - What Makes Someone Credible

Why do you believe some people almost immediately, while others make you skeptical? You might assume credibility comes down to expertise, experience and having the facts on your side. But there is much more going on. Research shows that we respond to subtle signals that can make someone seem more believable — sometimes before we’ve really considered what they’re saying.

Even more surprising, some of the things people do to appear credible can actually make them less convincing. And many of the signals that influence us have little to do with the actual message.

Understanding this matters more than ever. Every day we have to decide which experts, politicians, salespeople, coworkers, influencers and strangers we should believe — and which ones we shouldn’t.

Stephen Martin is a visiting professor of behavioral science at Columbia University and an expert on influence and persuasion. He is co-author of Messengers: Who We Listen To, Who We Don’t, and Why (https://amzn.to/2MDAtej). He joins me to explain the surprisingly subtle characteristics that make people seem credible, why they work on us, and how understanding them can help you become more persuasive — and a little harder to fool.

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