In the lead article for this series (How to Build Your Reputation) I laid out six areas which have to be considered in order to be able to make significant progress towards establishing your reputation in a tough organisation, or in any other place for that matter. The articles in this series have been following that structure, and I wonder how you are getting on?
No doubt you have been making changes along the way, improving your positioning, your distinction and visibility. As we begin to reach a close to the series, now is a good time to sit back and take stock, and to perhaps prioritise where you need to be going next.
For each of the areas below, give yourself a score out of 10 based on how well you think you are doing. Be honest with yourself — actually, be hard on yourself!
Culture
If you’re scoring high on this it means you will know what the people in your organisation value (not the ones on the wall, the real ones which drive behaviour), how these values vary from group to group and also, how they conflict. Going deeper, you will also have a good grasp of the way different parts of the organisation work together (or not) and the key political drivers in play. It will also help if you are clear on the main priorities for key parts of the organisation and how they match with the overall strategy and other parts of the organisation.
Distinction
To score maximum points on this area you need to have absolute clarity on exactly what it is that will make you stand out, and it needs to be distinct. Ideally, you’ll also have this written down in simple and unequivocal terms, even if only for your own benefit. All of this is likely to be highly valued by the organisation you are working in, or at least, by the key players.
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Substance
This has to be clear and demonstrable. If you have clear processes, unique (and documented) intellectual property and you are building a strong track-record of delivering your distinctive reputation, you’ll be scoring quite high. You need to be showing you are delivering on your distinctive reputation.
Visibility
Are you well known to your target audience in the way you wish to be known? Are you attracting the attention of new people? All of this is evidence that you are building towards success and suggests that you may have a clear plan being implemented to make yourself appropriately visible. If you’ve got a strategy too, you might be nudging towards the top score.
Connections
This goes beyond networking and being known. For maximum marks here you need to have a number of key sponsors who are in prominent positions to promote your reputation/capability. This also means you need to have a high quality relationship with them and meet on a fairly regular basis.
Tenacity
Unless you have been plugging away at a consistent reputational aim for several years, you’re not going to score very high on this. You may be generally tenacious, but when you’re starting out in reputation building, you have to prove it to yourself over time that you will be persistent. If you’ve been thinking about your reputational aspirations and taking action every day to make it happen for several months, you’ll be doing well on this area. If you’ve been reading each of these articles when they arrive, you’re off to a good start.
Your score is your choice and your responsibility. Use these to think about which area you may need to pay more attention to. In tough organisations, learning more about how it works and why is always worthwhile, and there is always more to learn. It is also an area that people seem to shy away from — in tough organisations you cannot afford to do that.
Whichever area you decide to work on, make sure and re-read some of the articles in this series related to that area and plan out more action to take.
The Gautrey Influence Blog
Ever felt overlooked, unheard, or stuck in office politics? You’re not alone. The Gautrey Influence Blog breaks down the real-world strategies behind leadership, influence, and power—giving you the tools to be heard, respected, and successful. Join 35,000+ professionals getting ahead the smart way—subscribe now..
💡 Benchmark your Influence: Take the Master of Influence Assessment (Free for Subscribers!)
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