Reputation is Built on Action - The Storyteller's Spotlight #20

You can't build a reputation on what you're going to do. - Henry Ford

Think about your role models.

There's a reason why they're special to you.

Each of us uses unique criteria.

At the top of my list is integrity: someone who stands by their word.

People form opinions of you based on what you do, not what you say.

→ If you follow through, that's a reassuring sign. You are dependable.

→ If you say one thing and do another, others may feel more doubt and uncertainty.

This quote hints at the foundation of great leadership: trust.

Trust is at the center of any great relationship in life. The best leaders know this and cherish this principle.

Trust goes both ways.

I depend on you and vice versa.

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As a college student, I experience how quickly trust can turn from good to bad.

A clever lie to get extra money from my dad turns into one of the most painful experiences in my life.

All to impress a friend.

Knowing that I have no choice but to come clean keeps me up all night.

Telling my dad about the lie is the toughest part.

My stomach is in knots.

I'll never forget hearing my dad's voice turn sad and disappointed.

I let him down. I let myself down.

Then he says that he may not be able to trust me anymore.

Just like that, everything changes.

Over the next two years, I spend every ounce of my energy trying to repair the relationship with my dad.

Doing little things, bit by bit.

Until I finally rebuild the trust.

We take the circle of trust for granted.

It's great when you're inside the circle.

But once you're out, every relationship dynamic changes.

The harsh reality is that it can take years to build trust and one misstep to lose trust.

Without trust, the relationship is nothing.

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You can't build a solid reputation without trust.

The way you do that is through action.

Action is something that produces a result.

→ Words are not action.

→ Planning is not action.

→ A promise is not action.

Action comes from following through on what you say you will do.

The best leaders know that there will be times when action may not yield the right results.

That's OK because you will communicate what happened and why.

And they will understand.

→ That's empathy.

You'll learn from the situation and determine how to do better next time.

Don't be afraid to take action again.

→ Get knocked down, get back up.

If you enjoyed this lesson, please share it with your network.

Until next time, keep your stories alive. ??

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