CHAUDHRI: Characters and careers built one step at a time

English playwright John Haywood opined, “Rome wasn’t built in a day, but they were laying bricks every hour.”

The common refrain has permeated the minds of business leaders, particularly that of the oracle of Omaha, Warren Buffet who famously said, “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.”

Building on the Wurdell case I covered last week, characters and careers are built one step at a time. They are intangible assets to be nurtured, cherished and protected from ruin.

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A good reputation is mightier than the sword, it precedes you. It is your calling card. It is one’s secret weapon against all odds. Years of good business dealings, client satisfaction scores and company goodwill can go down the tubes with one bad decision.

Similarly, for an employee, one risque tweet, impassioned instagram reel or bad behaviour in or outside one’s workplace, could leave one with a tarnished reputation, standing at the back of the virtual unemployment line.

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A 2023 Axios Harris poll gauged the reputation of the most visible brands in America by asking Americans, in their opinion, which two companies have the best reputation today and which two have the worst. The companies were then ranked on metrics like character, trust, culture and ethics.

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Placing first and second overall respectively, Patagonia and Costco ranked particularly high in the “character” and “trust” metrics.

Reputation isn’t simply a feel good measure, it creates brands with legacies that live on. Employees with sterling reputations build these brands.

For employees seeking to build reputations for the long term can consider the following tips:

1. Your resume must speak to your strengths and integrity – It is never a good idea to pad or embellish your track record. The same goes for how you conduct yourself in an interview. Aim for a role where your skills will be enhanced and appreciated.

2. Ask for an endorsement after a big achievement – Nailing a big project or landing a huge client are achievements to celebrate. Use these occasions to seek endorsement of your skills (like on LinkedIn) to help build your reputation as a high achiever.

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3. Under promise and over deliver – When assigned a project or task, identify who will benefit from your work. Make firm commitments that you can meet, then do what you can, within reason to exceed them.

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4. Acknowledge the contribution of others – Great leaders credit most of their achievements to the team supporting them. One rarely achieves greatness as a team of one.

I end with Shakespeare’s Othello, when the character Cassio moans, after he is disciplined and removed from his position, “Reputation reputation reputation! I have lost the immortal part of myself.”

Have a workplace question? Maybe I can help! Email me at [email protected] and your question may be featured in a future column.

The content of this article is general information only and is not legal advice.

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