Reputation

Despite what Joan Jett says, you should give a damned about your bad reputation. What people associate when your name is said is important. One of my first mentors, who really left an impression on me, told me your reputation matter above all else. As I work to mentor you, this is one of the first topics I need to share and emphasize its truth.


Harken back to the old spaghetti westerns, I feel like I should paint a picture of an old grizzled, pencil thin cowboy saying, “your name is the most important thing you’ve got partner.” Seeing how I’m from the homestead of John Wayne, it’s fitting. But really, why does this matter? It matters because as you grow from an intern, to new recruit, to employee, to supervisor, what you’ve demonstrated before will boost you up or weigh you down.


How you establish this reputation is demonstrated by your deeds and not your words. Think about people you hold in high regard, what have they done to earn this? Their actions spoke louder than their words. Use that the next time someone asks for help. Be the volunteer to tackle a tough problem.


I can honestly say my own reputation was build one day at a time. My investment in studying, researching, analyzing, mentoring, and leading took time to establish. The portfolio gained value because I volunteered for tough leadership and staff positions over and over. The hard jobs are what sharpened my saber. Doing well in them, through consistent performance, solidified my (and will do the same to you) reputation. What does your company value? That’s currency and as you build up your worth in this portfolio, keep diversifying it through different activities and projects.


Now back to Joan Jett and that “bad” reputation. Sometimes she’s right, you’ve got to move forward and just not give a damned. Because the job needs done and you’re the one going to do it. I too established a bit of a bad reputation in one job, by pushing people in one organization too hard, too fast. Should I have down shifted to the organization’s slow pace? Maybe, but then progress wouldn’t have happened. The same old, same old would’ve continued with mediocrity as it’s watch word.  Pushing people for better work, challenging others to get out of their comfort zone, and letting the innovating talent leap forward, created real and lasting change. So, speaking out of both sides of my mouth here; work hard to establish a good, strong reputation and run fearlessly towards being a change agent, ignoring those attempts to tarnish it.


If you’re already lazily moving about your day, you’re likely not reading this, but if you have established a bad reputation get off your rear and do real work.  I recently observed someone who lived up to their bad reputation. The person’s attempt to smoothly talk their way through a briefing demonstrated years of a lack of study, depthless knowledge, a lack of analysis, and zero imagination. Sadly, the bad reputation haunts the person, until a leader with the hutzpah can rid the organization of the poor performer. Don’t be that person.


As you begin, really give a damned about your reputation. Go out there and get after the word that needs to be done. Seek tough assignments, projects and jobs because they will only make you better, Guard against falling into the traps of laziness and half-hearted attempts at work. Earn a good reputation and find your greatness.