Personal and Professional Reputation

Our personal and professional reputation is something we foster and develop over time. Either consciously or unconsciously. With every choice, decision and action we take we build upon our reputations. We make mistakes along the way. We make attempts to fix them. We have success. We try to build upon that. Our image, or personal brand, is something we can trade on. People come to us for particular things - our honesty, for example, or our creativity. We are 'known' for particular attributes and beliefs, or ways of living and working. Our communication styles and appearance contribute to our reputation and brand.

The essence of reputation lies in what we stand for. What we will, and wont, do. And how we go about our day to day lives. Reflection and contemplation on 'what we stand for' can add clarity and weight to our brand. Our reputation is associated with our credibility. Our integrity. This integrity can become tarnished by association, by succumbing to professional pressures, by trying to please too many people and not simply the most important person - ourselves.