When we consider the assets entrepreneurs and professionals leverage to assert their authority, bring their vision to life, build intentional relationships, attract strategic opportunities, and create trust with customers, few assets are as critical as reputation. Reputation, or personal brand, is defined as overall quality or character as seen or judged by people in general. Reputation creates the belief of an “expectation of the experience” of working with, investing in, buying from, or hiring you; one that will be consistent with what your target audience believes to be true about you and your value.
In the New Year, as we evaluate our diets, exercise routines, romantic goals and deleterious habits, many professionals also consider whether their careers are on track. If not, they might want to consider whether they have stalled or suffered professional damage because of a poor reputation.
How are reputations formed?
Reputations are formed in the minds of those people you interact with — online and in person. Your reputation is expressed as a belief about who you are, what you value, and what you can offer in relationships with others. For example, an executive who publicly claims to be passionate about helping underserved communities and who donates time, money, and other resources to rebuilding houses in poor neighborhoods builds trust because he “walks the talk” of the values he proclaims.
By contrast, an individual who professes to be passionate about championing environmental causes, yet does nothing to support this or is known to be wasteful in his use of resources (i.e. drives a gas-guzzling vehicle) while he invests in properties that pollute the air, has a reputation problem. In this case, communities he might be targeting will find his behavior inconsistent with the values he promotes, thus eroding trust and credibility.
What is a reputation reboot?
A credible reputation has three components: 1. Articulation of core values; 2. Action and behavior consistent with those values; and 3. Alignment with a specific target audience. When faced with damage to credibility, a reputation reboot is warranted.
A reboot realigns values with action or redirects positioning to a new target audience. A reputation reboot involves repositioning online, in key networking circles, with clients…