Reputation and Trust Rise and Fall Together
A leader's effectiveness turns on trust. Trust is the confident expectation that a person will consistently do what is right in every situation. How well a leader lives up to that expectation determines his or her reputation as a leader.
In essence, the trust which people put in a leader rises and falls in tandem with the leader's reputation. Strong, positive reputations encourage trust. Sullied reputations undercut trust.
Reputations, however, are vulnerable creatures. They are easily besmirched, damaged, or destroyed. And because reputations are fragile, the trust which a leader enjoys is likewise fragile.
Leaders must therefore guard their reputation with determination and tenacity. This begins by recognizing that both a leader's reputation and the trust people place in that leader are both derived from the same two factors.
The first factor is character. The second is performance. A stellar reputation for character, but a weak reputation for getting things done will impair trust in the leader. So, too, will a reputation for exceptional performance, but a flawed character. To be highly trusted, leaders must build and maintain a strong reputation for both character and performance.
This episode looks at striking examples of how otherwise promising leaders have lost trust either because a serious character flaw was revealed or their performance became subpar. And it highlights how, for leaders, both reputation and trust are fragile. Years of building a powerful reputation and broad trust can be undone in one careless or thoughtless episode which destroys the reputation which has long engendered trust.
A transcript of this episode is available for download at https://www.leaderperfect.com/podcast. Simply click on the link to Download Scripts.
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