By Lauren Vargas
My Reader is jammed with articles about the economy-how we can succeed in this economy and perils that will occur due to this economy. I am positive you are encountering the same barrage of opinions and fear-induced advice. Lack of control over our financial stability (something you never had) is frightening.
There are things we can do to improve our good fortune in these uncertain times. Fellow guest blogger, Shonali Burke, addresses how measurement is a saving grace in job security and my peers on The Buzz Bin have posted several articles discussing personal brand and attitude. No matter how well you market yourself, actions and measurable results depicting your accomplishments are irreplaceable.
Accompanying five star accomplishments is a stellar persona. How will you live on in the memory of others? Reputation management, your personal brand, is essential to maintain on and offline. In a recent TED presentation, Doris Kearns Goodwin discusses what we can learn from past presidents in moments of crisis. This was not a politically motivated speech. Rather, the stories Kearns tells about Lincoln and LBJ had me questioning whether I was leaving the word a better place.
Too often we think in short term increments. Always questioning what if and not reflecting back upon lessons learned. Certain reputations have persevered through time because of integrity of character and strong moral being. Abraham Lincoln, as Kearns tells the story, was incredibly concerned with the life impact he was making with his actions. He was on a mission with fierce ambition to leave the world a better place.
How could you be more like Lincoln?
- Empathize with others and care about other's opinions
- Repair injured feelings that have the potential to escalate into permanent hostility
- Share credit with ease
- Assume responsibility for failures of subordinates
- Constantly acknowledge errors
- Learn from mistakes
- Refuse to be provoked or jealous
- Express convictions in everyday language
Reputation management is much more than the extent of your online content and networks. Integrity of character is the number one line item on your life resume. So, I ask you again, how will you live on in the memory of others?
Lauren Vargas, Community Relations Manger at AAFES and principal of 12Comm Public Relations, is based in Dallas, Texas. She is a well known public relations blogger and speaker who has developed an expertise in integrating social media tools into marketing and business strategy.