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How to Repair a Damaged Reputation

"Your reputation is what people use to judge your worthiness for career advancement. You must take aggressive action to protect it."

No matter how good, honest or full of integrity you are in your career, accusations of misconduct or mistakes will come your way, particularly if you're ambitious. When they do, you can't sit back and do nothing.

If it looks like your reputation may suffer a hit, it is time to apply a candid, clear, focused and firm approach to address the situation and accuser. If that advice sounds serious, it is. Your reputation is what people use to judge your worthiness for career advancement. You must take aggressive action to protect it. If your reputation is damaged by a false accusation, take these steps to repair it:

  • Meet with the appropriate body within your company or organization to clearly explain the matter. Invite the accuser to the meeting. Use this approach: "I understand there are accusations about . . . Here's the situation from my point of view." Push to get exposure and closure in a timely fashion. Don't let either party off easy because the issue is uncomfortable to discuss.
  • Make certain your accuser publicly apologizes. A threat of legal action may help achieve this.
  • Educate everyone on your team about what happened, from co-workers to family and friends. Equip them to be solidly on your side by describing what happened.
  • Tell colleagues and associates about the situation. Explain it in a way that helps them avoid a similar situation. Use humor and irony. ("You won't believe what happened to me . . .") Be clear and brief and then stop. If you go on and on, it looks like you are protesting too much.
  • When you speak about the situation, look and act good-humored and good-natured. Maintain a relaxed tone of voice, expression and demeanor.
  • When you are cleared of wrongdoing, have your company or organization make a statement proclaiming your innocence. Make sure your innocence is documented by a memo in your personnel file. Needless to say, you should obtain and file a copy of this memo too.
  • Dive in and take on new challenges. This is a good time to seek out a special assignment that offers the opportunity to prove yourself. If you were involved in community service or charity work before the accusations, step up your participation. Whatever you do, don't hide in embarrassment.
  • Maintain professional, good-humored and good-natured demeanor around your boss and the accuser going forward. If anyone gets a sense they've "gotten to you," scared you, or weakened your power, he or she may try again.

The final step in repairing a damaged reputation is to have patience. The stigma of guilt will go away. It may take time. But you have to remember that after a relatively short period of time, the episode that nearly damaged your reputation will seem bigger to you than to anyone else.

Debra Benton, president of Benton Management Resourcesis one of America's top executive coaches. She works with list of Fortune 500, upwardly-mobile executives. She is an international speaker and author of several best-selling books including: How to Think Like a CEO and How to Act Like a CEO: 10 Rules for Getting to the Top and Staying There.

For more advice on advancing your career, be sure to investigate Trump University's new audio course, Play to Win in Business and Life.

Debra Benton, president of Benton Management Resources, is one of America's top executive coaches. She works with a prestigious list of Fortune 500, upwardly-mobile executives. Her best-selling books include: How to Think Like a CEO; Executive Charisma: Six Steps to Mastering the Art of Leadership; and How to Act Like a CEO: 10 Rules for Getting to the Top and Staying There.

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4 Comments   Post a comment

[-] Posted by Debbie Dee on 08/09/2006 10:46 AM
It is true, Deb! Let me share my experience with reader of Trump Blogger. In my first career, I was so ambitious. I always focus to my result and seriousness. I never have time to talk with my colleagues, only with my boss. Finally, I left my job because I was not happy with the situation. Then I studied my higher degree and I took a job whilst I was lived in abroad. Then I realise that humour and discuss are important with colleagues, so I changed my perform
[-] Posted by Richard Guyon on 08/09/2006 11:33 AM
It's always the employee that has a low self esteem that I have seen as the scapegoat for these types of attacks in office environments. You rarely ever see someone who is a strong leader allowing this to happen. The majority of the time the ones who attack your reputation are also weak in their own self esteem, so stand up for your rights and fire right back. I would compare these people to that small dog that comes running down the sidewalk barking and snapping at your feet, if you turn on them and show your teeth and charge right back the response is to run away barking, and looking like the true fool. The best strength is the easiest, be true and honest, and if it is your fault, accept the blame for your mistake. If you only make an occasional mistake in life, well we are all only human. Personally I'm a very generous, easy going, considerate and supportive person, but if anyone dares to attempt to back me into a corner on false accusation, they can expect a roaring lion to be charging out.
[-] Posted by Bill Fedun on 08/10/2006 12:28 PM
I could not agree more with Debbie Dee's comment! The trick is to be a "company man" as well as being popular. Leading
[-] Posted by member1842683 on 08/08/2008 5:36 PM
How true it is. Helping hundreds if not thousands of clients over the course of an entire career as a Certified Mortgage Planning Specialist in the Southern California area it seems that all it takes is one breakdown in communication or an upset client who makes the decision to post a complaint or rant online to damage years of goodwill and credibility. Un-moderated sites like RipOffReport.com can stand as a consumer advocate however they can also act as a force that destroys reputational capital that may have taken years of ethical actions and relationship building to create. As a group, social websites are a resource that is here to stay yet it is the very human touch of a moderator that keeps the mark of quality and integrity in place.

Shawn Brennan
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