Credibility Lost

     When I was a young'un, we rarely ate at restaurants.  Every now and then; however, my Dad would treat the family to a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken after church.  I remember how long the drive home seemed with that amazing aroma filling the car.  I loved that chicken.  It would be nearly impossible for that bond of affection to be broken... but guess what?  In the 1980s, KFC changed.  I had one bad experience followed by another.  I finally said, "I'll never eat there again."  Several times, a well crafted t.v. commercial would persuade me to give them another chance.  I'd head to the local restaurant filled with wary hope only to be reminded of all the reasons I'd taken my KFC abstinence vow.  At this point, KFC has no credibility with me.  It's been so thoroughly destroyed, I wouldn't go there if they offered a free I-Pod with every bucket. Seriously.

     That's how it is with me.  When I want to believe someone, I give them chance after chance after chance.  Eventually though, I can just no longer squeeze out an ounce of trust for someone who has made a practice of setting off credibility bombs.  What are credibility bombs, you might ask?

• Tell me you'll do something or be somewhere- then show up late, or not at all, or just do such a poor job that I wish you hadn't shown up.
• Contradict yourself constantly so that no one can ever really know where you stand on important issues.
• When trying to validate your point of view, cite woefully discredited sources.
• When trying to validate your point of view, get really loud and abusive.  Nothing places your opinion more firmly in the "balderdash" pile than you screaming it.
• Be wrong constantly, but never acknowledge it... ever. 
• If absolutely forced to face your wrongness---Double-Down!

     Has anyone ever lost his or her credibility with you?   What was the tilting point?  What would that person have to do to regain your confidence?