#MyWordForToday is #Reputation

#MyWordForToday is #Reputation

About 5 weeks ago, I wrote a blog on personal branding. Reputation forms a big part of that so, I am going to endeavour to marry both. 

What is reputation? Your reputation, or that of your business, is simply what people think of you. Simple

Now, so long as you exist in this world, you are a brand. And people will interact with you based on what they think they know of your brand. 

These days, opinions are formed about us, our characters, the ability to do a job, and our personalities without a face to face interaction. This is probably because many of us are now on different social media where we express ourselves.

If a Company decides to hire, they would typically ask for CVs. They might hire based on your CV, your track record and perhaps recommendations. I know of people who were headhunted on LinkedIn and hired. 

So, as long as, you aren't dead yet,  branding yourself become imperative.

Every time someone happens upon you, both on and offline, they form opinions about you. 

More often than not, when a person comes across you offline, or even online, they would check out your online profile. 

So much so, that companies or prospective employers check your social media to get a feel of who you are.

Like one wise person said, "reputation precedes revenue". 

I do believe that the phrase, "the Internet never forgets," is one that ought to be cast on marble because the internet indeed never forgets.

"What is excused backstage may not be excused under the spotlight. The spotlight amplifies everything including your assets and your flaws". - Stephen Angbulu. 

This then leads me to ask, if reputation is this important, should it then be given a higher priority over your actual character?

My simple answer is no! I have never believed this. 

I have met people who insist that perception (read as reputation) is more important than reality (read as character) And that one should spend time honing their reputation.

In my opinion, anyone doing this is simply being penny wise and pound foolish.

My people would often say "character is like smoke, you can hardly control it, as it will fan out sooner or later".

I would rather raise leaders whose characters and reputations align and are interwoven. 

How do you behave when you think no one is watching? How do you treat people you think you don’t need? How do you behave when you are wrong?

There is nothing that exposes character defects more than a genuine reflection on these. 

Reputation is no doubt important, but in my view, character is much more important. And you will have aced it, if you are able to align the two i.e. the way you are perceived is your actual reality. 

I do believe you can do this by telling your story showing your personal ethos and values. 

After all, "you cannot build a reputation on what you are going to do"-Henry Ford.

Personal Branding is important. It is an effective way of highlighting your potentials whilst making you more visible.

What is your brand of leadership? Highlighting your authentic self is an effective personal branding strategy. Have you ever googled yourself? 

"Remember what you have, many can have. But what you are, no one else can be". 

Namaste 

Bibireosefowora 💌