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10 Ways To Ruin Your Reputation At Work
"The way to gain a good reputation is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear."
Socrates
I was once told by a mentor to hold tightly to your reputation because it is really the only thing you have control over. So what makes up a person's reputation? I believe your reputation is how others see you. Webster's dictionary defines it as the estimation in which a thing or person is held especially by the community or the public generally.
Why should you care about how others perceive you? When your reputation is solid and healthy, you are given opportunities to grow, learn and prosper by your peers and work community. Your co-workers and superiors want to be with you and through these connections you gain ways to develop and grow personally, professionally, spiritually and financially. When your reputation is poor, many opportunities are given to others and you lose out on the chance for friendship and growth.
As I have trained and consulted with hundreds of companies over the years, I have compiled a list of the top 10 ways to ruin your reputation at work:
1) Don't do what you say you will do- this is the basis of trust...actually following up with what you say you will do. It seem simple but so many workers overpromise and under deliver.
2) Have an affair- whether it is someone at work or outside of work, if you cheat on someone you are supposed to be faithful to, everyone will find out and this kills morale and your reputation.
3) Not holding confidences- if a co-worker or boss tells you something that is not to be shared and you share it, you are not going to be given additional information again...You are unable to keep confidences.
4) Being two faced- this is the old high school trick of saying one thing to a person and behind their back you show a different side. Once someone sees this in you they know it is only a matter of time before you act this way towards them.
5) Getting drunk at a social gathering- don't fool yourself... a social work gathering is still work and all eyes are watching how you behave. And many key people in your career have long memories of employees that made a fool of themselves over alcohol.
6) Making passes at co-workers- even if you feel like you are suave and smooth when it comes to interacting with co-workers, people will feel uncomfortable if you are using sexual innuendos. Another reason to stop is that you are creating a hostile work environment and this may get you fired!
7) Being caught at work not working- many people make the mistake of thinking that they can run personal errands during work hours, make long personal phone calls during work hours or plan a wedding during work hours You need to do personal errands, make personal phone calls or shop online for personal items during your lunch break and not be during scheduled work hours.
8) Taking credit for other's work-if someone else had a hand in your success you must acknowledge their work. Do not assume that no one will care if you take their credit...people notice and watch closely how you acknowledge your accomplishments.
9) Being a know-it-all- no one wants to work with someone that acts as if they know all the answers. Showing humility and asking for help will go a long way in gaining a great reputation.
10) Having a negative attitude- we all know people that suck the air and life out of us when we are around them because they spew all the negative aspects of their life and work. People will label you as Eyore the donkey from Winnie the Pooh and this is not the character you want to be associated with...
So, how can you undo the damage if you are being perceived in a bad light? I will be honest, it will not be easy and it will take years of solid commitment.....but it is worth starting now.
- Make a pact with yourself that you want to change your behaviors and write down what it is that you want to be known for... Do you want to be perceived as helpful, unselfish or humble? Start by writing this down so you are clear about what you are striving to become. If you have a more serious problem like an addiction, you need to seek help and your Employee Assistance Plan at work may be a great place to start if you have one.
- Ask a few close friends or co-workers to help you. If you work alone, ask a spouse or family member to help you stay the course. Give them permission and encourage them to let you know when you are going astray. Develop a code word, if necessary, to help you become aware immediately of the unwanted behavior.
- Consistently act in the way you want to be perceived. This sounds simple but it is the most difficult to do because past behaviors are easy to slip back into and they want to creep back into your daily routine. Fight the urge! I know someone that put a rubber band around their wrist so they would snap it when the wanted to gossip about someone or they were going to share a confidence that they were told to hold.
Question for You:
Are you not living the life you want to live? Do you know that you are capable of behaving with more integrity but you don't know how to stop a harmful behavior that may be harming your reputation at work?
Action for You:
Begin today by asking someone you trust at work if they believe a certain behavior is harming your reputation. Ask someone you know who will be truthful with you and not just tell you want you want to hear. You may need to ask several co-workers to gain the truth. Begin taking the three steps listed above and know that this will not be an easy task to overturn the behavior(s) that you have grown comfortable with but the journey is worth every step of the way.
""If I take care of my character, my reputation will take care of itself."
Dwight Lyman Moody
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