Marshall Goldsmith: Reputation

#5.Reputation: Who Do People Think You Are?

Reputation is the third element in establishing your MOJO. It’s where
you add up who you are (identity) and what you’ve done (achievement)
and toss the combined sum out into the world to see how people respond.
Your reputation is people’s recognition— or rejection— of your identity and
achievement. Sometimes you’ll agree with the world’s opinion. Sometimes
you won’t. However, how people perceive you over time becomes your reputation. Thus, consistency yields reputation. What you do day in and day out establishes your reputation in the minds of others. Consistent trends, not individual events (consistency not single heroic events) establish a lasting reputation. When it comes to how others view you, consider that it took you a long time to create the problem, so it takes a while to solve it so others see the change. Even if you know that you’ve changed, it’s not enough for you to feel it—for reputation to change, others must see and feel it. His model of reputation depends on others “seeing” the change. So, a change in your reputation requires self awareness (do you really see yourself as other see you) and discipline (sticking with change long enough for others to see the change).