There is a lot of discuss these days about reputation management. Sorry, but I’m not into reputation management. I think reputation leadership is far better.

Here’s a quick illustration that clarifies the difference between reputation management and reputation leadership.

How to Take Ownership of Your Reputation

This past week I was the keynote speaker at the Pennsylvania FCCLA Spring Leadership Conference. I challenged the 400+ student leaders in the audience to take 100 percent ownership of their reputation. I explained that owning their reputation does not require “spin,” which is the less-than-politically-correct way of saying “reputation management.” Instead, ownership requires leadership. It requires individuals to lead their lives in such a way that their reputation stays sweet instead of turning sour.

Before explaining any of this or even starting the conversation on reputation, I wanted to establish its importance in a very visible way. That’s why I pulled out a jug of lemonade and another jug of chocolate milk.

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