Reputation Is The Enemy To Courage

Lean Into Character

"Reputation is an idle and most false imposition, oft got without merit and lost without deserving." – William Shakespeare

As President Trump became the 47th President of the United States, I found it fascinating at those that called and accused him of just about anything have suddenly become fans of the new (and old) president.

It’s cowardice in real time.

Cowards have no principle and they flow from one side of an issue to another. At one time, it was normal to call the president Hitler and now those same individuals are praising and participating with him.

Cowards thrive on reputation. It’s their weapon of so called success and to be popular is all that matters. Of course, you can look through history and see the worst of us when the masses placed more emphasis on reputation than character.

• Few were on the side of William Tyndale when he translated the Bible away from Latin.

• Few sided with Martin Luther King Jr. in the early days of the Civil Rights Movement.

• The original abolitionist movement only had dozens speaking up against slavery.

• Winston Churchill stood mostly alone on the world stage as he warned about the rise of Nazi Germany.

While reputation certainly has its place, an overemphasis on protecting reputation can pose significant dangers to leaders and their organizations.

Culture of Fear

An obsession with protecting reputation often breeds a culture of fear and risk aversion. Leaders who prioritize their public image above all else may avoid making bold decisions or taking necessary risks that could result in temporary backlash. This notably stifles innovation, but team morale will suffer as they will constantly be constrained by safety over all else.

Ethical Compromise

In an effort to maintain a pristine image, leaders may resort to hiding failures, manipulating information, or even engaging in dishonest practices. This approach can have catastrophic consequences if the truth eventually comes to light, eroding trust and credibility far more severely than if the issue had been addressed openly from the start. The manipulation of crime data or the coverup of a scandal are just a few of the issues the profession repeatedly sees.

Employee Morale

Leaders that play it safe at all times risk alienating their employees, who will often feel undervalued and ignored as they see an stagnant agency that does what they do “because they have always done it that way.”

A Dangerous Game

Ultimately, leaders that place an overemphasis on reputation not only risk their organization and future success, they are lying to themselves. Reputation is not real and it can be taken at any minute, by anyone.

In fact, I can do it to you today. I could write an article or film a video and accuse you of just about anything I want and as long as I say it’s my opinion, it’s legal and outside defamation law. It can even be written to subdue the opinion, using “anonymous sources” to bolster the claim.

That sounds outrageous but that’s exactly how the mainstream media operates. It’s called the “wrap up smear.”

Lean Into Character

So what is a leader to do? Well you lead courageously and you lean into character. Unlike reputation, your character cannot be taken from you. Rather than caring how others perceive you, focus on the resiliency of principle and integrity. Think of a leader that changed your life for the better and I guarantee you are thinking of someone with great character.

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Dr. Travis Yates retired as a commander with a large municipal police department after 30 years of service. He is the author of “The Courageous Police Leader: A Survival Guide for Combating Cowards, Chaos & Lies.” His risk management and leadership seminars have been taught to thousands of professionals across the world. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy with a Doctorate Degree in Strategic Leadership and the CEO of the Courageous Police Leadership Alliance.