Managing Your Own Reputation

A sterling reputation is hard - earned. It derives from developing a unique style; from comparing oneself with the 'best' in a particular field of endeavour; from sustaining ingrained habits that consistently produce high quality performance
Charles Fombrun, author of 'Reputation'

Reputation management is an established practice in the corporate world. "Reputation consists of perceptions - how others see you", writes Fombrun in his book 'Reputation'. According to Leslie Gaines - Ross, author of 'Corporate Reputation', reputation management implies making concerted efforts to build, nurture and safeguard corporate reputation (not leaving it to chance). As for organisations, so do for individuals, One hitter pipe we all have a reputation. Our reputation is important to us - it sets the momentum for our relationships, the assignments we get and how people remember us.

Is it possible to make a conscious effort towards managing your personal reputation? Evidence from the lives of political leaders, film personalities, sports stars etc. indicates its feasibility. One important point for consideration here: having a reputation is not the same as being famous (a film star may be known amongst thousands, while a corporate executive will be known amongst hundreds, and a student would have a handful of people to relate to). Reputation is held in the given stakeholder universe.

While each individual has a personal style and temperament that build his/ her reputation, they can emulate some strategies that organisations undertake when planning their corporate reputation. Some points are as follows...

Stakeholder prioritisation
Let's be honest; we can't get 100% approval from everybody. Supporters, adversaries, acquaintances (not friends) are a reality of life. Identify and prioritise the people important in your personal and professional spheres - friends, family, work place colleagues (and hierarchy), clients, etc. Remember, reputation is built in a social context; it is how others perceive you. But remember: you cannot be everything for everybody.

Analyzing personal strengths and weaknesses
Do an honest assessment of your strengths and weaknesses. 'Reflected Best Self' is an interesting exercise that helps one to identify his/ her personal strengths. We should also know the difference between weakness and non-talent, which will help avoid unnecessary stress and expectations. Attitude, skills and knowledge are the personal development areas that might require constant re-imagination.

Stakeholders perception
You can not be a master in all. Identify the areas where you are the best. As done in the practice of branding, identify how you wish the stakeholders to perceive you (two words maximum) - 'Trustworthy', 'knowledgeable', 'reliable', 'honest', 'go-getter', 'initiator', 'trouble-shooter', 'dependable', etc.

Behaviour that will shape desired perception
Action is communication. Words and action are two components of communication (many people mistakenly believe that communication happens only through words). Your actions/ behaviour should be consistent to the desired perception you want to create.

Evaluation
How are you doing has to be monitored and results to be measured. In a professional set-up, your appraisal might be an indicator whether you are moving towards your desired reputation. On a personal front, what the stakeholders are discussing with you will indicate whether they perceive you to be capable of what you believe your capabilities are. If there is a gap in their perception - you have to work towards bridging that gap.

Noumaan Qureshi, based in Mumbai (India) works with one of India's leading PR consultancies. Views expressed are personal.