This post is about being mindful of your reputation with good suggestions for improving it.
A person’s character is the reliability of himself. His reputation is the opinion others have formed of him/her. Certainly, reputation is built on deeds. Henry Ford said, ‘you can’t build a reputation on what you are going to do.’
In working together, we cannot ignore what other’s think of us. Although we make attempts to not take the opinions of other’s personally, we also see that much of the way the world works is based on people’s
reputations. We find that our reputation builds in a positive way when we learn to be more versatile in the way we deal with others. People all like to be met on their own ground, so to speak, and when we make the effort to be aware of their concerns and try to speak their language, they appreciate the consideration. How often have you heard someone say in reference to another team member, “she’s always easy to work with, or he’s so reliable, that I love working with him.” These are comments that begin to build a good reputation at work.
Socrates wrote, “The way to gain a good reputation is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear.” We can see from his quote that having a vision of how we wish to show up in our work environment is best served
by attempting to be that vision. If you want other’s to see you as being efficient, than try being more efficient. It sounds simple, but we rarely give our reputation much thought until we realize that our reputation has been damaged in some way. I find that reputation is like china, easily broken but not easy to repair.
Here are some good suggestions for improving your reputation at work:
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Be known for follow-through
Your reputation grows fastest when people can rely on you. Say “yes” thoughtfully, meet deadlines, and proactively communicate if something shifts. Reliability builds trust more than charisma ever will. -
Make others look good
Publicly acknowledge contributions, share credit generously, and advocate for colleagues when they’re not in the room. Leaders notice who elevates the team, not just themselves. -
Handle pressure with steadiness
How you respond when things go wrong matters more than when things go right. Stay calm, avoid blame, and focus on solutions. Emotional maturity under stress is a powerful reputation multiplier. -
Seek feedback and act on it
Ask for input from peers or supervisors, then visibly apply what you learn. People respect those who are coachable and committed to growth, especially when improvement is observable over time.
Try thinking about your reputation and consider if your actions are a good reflection of your vision of yourself and also of your words. Take an action that you think will enhance your reputation.
Kathleen