The Know-Like-Trust Factor

Over the past 10 years, Chris Cook has spent his career in the construction industry. He has a Bachelor's of Science in Industrial Technology Management with an emphasis in Building Construction Management and Master's of Science in Project Management. He is an accredited PMP. Follow more of Chris's insights at his blog EntrePMeur.

  Career Development   Communications Management   Leadership  

The “know-like-trust” factor is known for creating content for an audience you want to grow. If your audience knows who you are, likes who you are and trusts the information you are sharing, it becomes more receptive to what you present.

Instead of applying this factor to bloggers and writers, let’s apply it to project managers. Project managers have a daily audience (their project team). Relaying information to it is crucial to project success. Your KLT factor should be high with your team. It needs to know you, like/respect you and trust your words. If you do not have that with your team, your message is not being delivered thoroughly.

In a project manager’s case, he or she is not trying to build an audience, but rather further cultivate an environment where ideas can be shared and evaluated without scrutiny. How does a project manager go about increasing his or her KLT Factor? First, one must assess their current factor. Quantify your score. This number will be used as a baseline for your performance. A self-assessment will be sufficient. There is no need to go around asking if people like you; use nonverbal communication as an indicator.

Now that you have scored yourself, it is time to increase that score.

How to Become Known

• Know your audience. Project managers talk to many groups of people. Owners and sponsors require a different …

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