Credibility pyramid: the vacant top.

Byline: Dr M Ali Hamza

Through a qualitative scientific exploration, cultural and linguistic anthropologist Graham Jones induced credibility pyramid that could apply to individuals, social groups, political parties etc. At the bottom of the pyramid is a band of knowledge and understanding. Although this portion characterises 10% of a credibility score, it is nevertheless the foundation. If you do not comprehend what you are saying or doing, you have no credibility no matter what else you add to the mix. The next level of credibility pyramid, according to Mr Jones, is experience and focus, which constitutes 15% of the total score. Experience and focus labels the consistency of action and belief, wherein people and parties do not deviate or go off to refractions. This is when we come across people and parties who stick to their viewpoint. The next floor on this pyramid of credibility is enthusiasm. The scholar allocates 25% to it, which is relatively high. Naturally, if a person or party cannot be enthusiastic about what they do and they are not passionate, how can we believe in their words? The most surprising component of credibility is the top part of this pyramid. It shows that 50% of your credibility is associated with your care and concern for others. If you could prove that your knowledge, experience and enthusiasm is not for personal gains but are devoted to uplift people, you will be able to gather up half of the score towards a strong rating. It seems that a small percentage of your credibility is knowledge; add to that focus and enthusiasm, and you only have half of what makes up your credibility. The other half is all about caring and concern for people's well-being. No matter what you are trying to say in parliament or press conferences, whatever you are trying to do in political sittings and rallies if it is genuinely to benefit people, you build untainted credibility.

If we scrutinise our political leadership from the Jones' credibility lens, the first question appears; do they know and understand what they do? The possible answer is a definite Yes. All parties and their leaders know how to play and manoeuvre the changing circumstances of politics, and who to build relationships with and when. The next question has to be, are they experienced and focused? Now the answer is a shaky Yes. In case of experience, all popular parties claim to be in the game for many decades and time has no substitute. Even the least experienced is...

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