Owning and Protecting Your Market Reputation

Your market reputation is one of the most valuable assets you have as a senior leader. It is what people say about you when you are not in the room, and it often carries more weight than your CV or even your last role. Reputation is not fixed. It evolves with every role you take, every decision you make, and every relationship you leave behind. Boards, CEOs, recruiters, and executives are all quietly asking whether you can be trusted beyond just delivering results.

Periods of transition can make this especially fragile. After redundancy, fear of judgement can lead to over explaining or avoidance. When leaving by choice, concern about being seen as disloyal can have the same effect. In both cases, silence or defensiveness can unintentionally weaken how you are perceived. That is why intentional reputation management matters.

This is not about spinning a story or defending yourself. It is about taking ownership of your narrative and reinforcing confidence in the value you bring next. In a crowded executive market, being qualified is only the starting point. What sets leaders apart is how clearly and consistently they own their story and their direction.

Practical tip
Write one short paragraph that captures who you are as a leader today and the value you bring going forward. Use it as a guide for how you speak about yourself in conversations, profiles, and introductions.

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