How to Repair Your Damaged Reputation at Work

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Admit your mistake.

   If you’ve damaged your reputation – wronging a coworker, angering your boss, or just getting an overall bad name – the place to start is to own up to it.
   
   Admit the error of your ways.
   
   Take stock of your actions and accept responsibility for them, to yourself and in front of others.What happened? Where did you go wrong? Be brutally honest with yourself.
   
   For example, do you have bad personal habits? Did you try to cut corners and dodge work? Have you been an office gossip? Or, did you have a serious lapse of judgement? Perhaps you stole someone’s idea and got caught or plagiarized a report.
   
   Perhaps you just stole, embezzling money.
2. 2

   Step 2: Apologize.

   Even if you don’t have a future at your workplace, you should apologize to the people you’ve hurt.
   
   Showing remorse is decent and will help you start to redeem yourself.
   
   You will not get very far with building bridges and repairing your reputation if you can’t say sorry.Act as soon as you can.
   
   The longer you wait to apologize, the more it seems like you aren’t really that sorry.Don’t make excuses.
   
   The point is to show remorse and accept that you were wrong.
   
   Don’t insert half-excuses or mealy-mouth language into your apology, for example “I’m sorry if you were offended that I took your idea.
   
   I only wanted to improve it.” Be humble and own up.
   
   For instance, “It was really wrong of me to talk behind your back.
   
   I know I’ve hurt you and want to ask for your forgiveness.” Be sincere.
   
   You won’t get credit if you don’t say specifically what you did.
   
   You also won’t credit if you don’t say it apologetically and sincerely, showing that you won't repeat the behavior., Besides an apology, write out a plan for how you’ll change and ensure your mistake doesn’t happen again.
   
   This can be for you alone or, if you’re lucky to keep your job, to share with the powers that be in the organization.Outline what you did wrong and how you will avoid it.
   
   For example, “I made the mistake of getting too involved in workplace gossip and ended up saying harmful things about my coworkers.
   
   From now on, I plan to keep my head down, mind my own business, and avoid office politics.” Don’t forget to “walk the walk” and follow your plan.
   
   You might arrange regular check-ins with your boss, for instance, to discuss your behavior.
   
   This will highlight your progress as well as show that you are willing and able to reform., Repairing your reputation is going to be a humbling experience.
   
   You might feel angry or resentful.
   
   You might get annoyed, frustrated, or upset.
   
   Keep these emotions under control – you’ve had a bad attitude in the past and need others to see that you’re trying to change.
   
   Try to stay calm, collected, and positive.
   
   Be aware of the attitudes or emotions that added to your bad behavior in the past.
   
   Try to avoid them or situations that bring them out.
   
   If your problem is gossip, avoid the office gossipers as best you can.
   
   Stop and ask yourself throughout the day, “How’s my attitude? Am I positive? Am I productive?” Catch any problems early and try to readjust your mindset.
3. 3

   Step 3: Commit to reform.

4. 4

   Step 4: Keep your attitude in check.

Detailed Guide

About the Author