SOURCE CHARACTERISTICS Three major characteristics of the source affect persuasion: expertise, trustworthiness, and attractiveness.48A source who is perceived as an expert is particularly persuasive. Trustworthiness is also important. Mack, head of Credit Suisse First Boston (CSFB), understands the importance of trust. When he came to CSFB, the investment bank was a huge mess, but in a short time Mack achieved amazing results by persuading his employees to trust him. First, he told CSFB’s bankers that their pay packages were excessive and the firm could not afford them. The bankers gave back more than $400 million in bonuses. Next, he asked CSFB’s executives to give up some of the richest pay packages in the business. Mack was able to convince them to give up amounts that sometimes exceeded$20 million, all so
that younger executives could receive bonuses and remain with the firm. And when lawyers discovered an e-mail suggesting a top CSFB employee had covered up wrongdoing from federal regulators, Mack immediately contacted federal regulators to blow the whistle. John Mack's employees trust him because he doesn't just take about teamwork, integrity, and trust; he demonstrates them in his own career. This trustworthiness allowed him to persuade his employees to help him save the firm.49 Finally, attractiveness and likability play a role in persuade consumers to buy certain products. As a source of persuasion, managers who are perceived as being experts, who are trustworthy, or who are attractive or likable will have an edge in changing employee attitudes.