Rebuilding Your Reputation
“It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it." -Warren Buffett
"There are no second acts in American lives." -F. Scott Fitzgerald
I've been thinking about reputation. In this age of instant communications, LinkedIn, and back-door reference checks, what you do professionally travels with you, everywhere.
In an ideal world, your reputation - your personal brand - would be spotless and grow infinitely positive as you scale larger and larger challenges. But what to do when you've made a misstep? Whether it's a job where you were terminated, a startup you joined that failed, or a personal set of challenges that held you back, if you've attempted anything important, chances are high that you've "failed" and hurt your reputation in the process.
I'm not talking about felony convictions or #metoo disasters. Though I do believe, in the long term, after a debt is paid, everyone deserves a chance to rebuild.
What are some things you can do to recover a damaged reputation?
- Own it. When asked about a difficult situation or failure, it's best to acknowledge it. Share what you learned. Share what went right. You might get lucky, but most of the time pretending something didn't happen or outright lying won't work. The world is too small. Hiring managers and colleagues who won't hire someone who took risks and failed aren't worth your time.
- Focus on what you can control. No one can control the past. But it's easy to dwell on what could have or might have been. Could you have known better the company you joined would run out of money? Could you have have better judged your boss? Of course. But it's best to assume you made the right decision at the time with the knowledge you had. Do your best work. Focus on the future.
- Focus on what you know. Whether you're talking to a former colleague or potential employers who know about your failures - and your successes - it's easy to speculate. But what do they really think? What does the evidence say? Stay focused on what you know, not what you fear. Ask for feedback. You may not get it. But if you're lucky, they'll tell you directly.
Warren Buffett made bad investments but kept investing in what he calls the "no called-strike-game." F. Scott Fitzgerald had not just a second, but a third act (as a screenwriter).
Additional ideas? Disagree? Please share.
Twitter: @briangoffman