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Mentorship October 14, 2016
Pro-tip: Be a woman of your word.
In the 21st century, reputations matters. What people hear, think or say about you – including what’s posted on social media – can make or break your career as a successful #WomanThatDoes.
While the expansion of digital media has certainly made reputation maintenance more complicated, your offline presence and how people perceive your day-to-day interactions can hold just as much weight. In fact, these relationships can either become your best asset or biggest liability.
Whether you’re applying for your dream job or chasing a big promotion, here are five simple ways every woman can earn a great reputation, foster better relationships and gear up for success.
Do your future self a favor and don’t shy away from accepting praise when you deserve it. While you should never take credit for someone else’s work, many women feign modesty when describing their accomplishments or explaining their role in a project. How do you expect a manager to know you’re the right person for the promotion if you constantly downplay your achievements? Your reputation for great work can only take shape if you share your success with others.
Spreading rumors does as much damage to your reputation as it does to the person you are gossiping about. Even if your audience appears amused at first, no one wants to closely align with a friend or colleague who’s known for spreading negativity. They may also begin to question your trustworthiness and integrity. Even if you’re “just listening” or the gossip seems innocent, it’s best to distance yourself from a community in which it’s considered fair game to go after people’s insecurities. You will feel happier and healthier if you focus on your own personal growth and success instead.
The way you treat other people says a lot about your character. If you’re sucking up to executives while brushing off their assistants, you are probably hurting your opportunities. You never know who might notice your behavior. Will they be impressed by your genuine kindness or turned off by your poor attitude? Respectfulness is always a good idea in the business world.
When you’re trying to establish a good reputation, it can seem counterintuitive to admit when you have messed up. However, recognizing when you have made an error – and taking the appropriate steps to fix it – can demonstrate growth and maturity. Accepting responsibility can also make you more attractive as a team member because it shows you care about the success of the project.
Even if you do your best to act above reproach, your reputation may come under attack from time to time. If the rumors are false, address them head-on. Correct misinformation and dispel myths when possible. For both men and women, it can take time to repair a reputation once it’s damaged so your best defense is preventing and minimizing any damage in the first place. This might mean apologizing if you have done something wrong. Just be careful not to give the rumor more attention than it’s due. If it’s something small and petty, interest should fade quickly and there’s no reason to resurface the issue.
How do you keep your reputation in check? Comment below or tweet us @entity_mag!
