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🍩 I know you want a recipe...

🍩 I know you want a recipe...

Come and get it!

Manuella Borges
November 03, 2024

_{Dear Reputation Builder,}

In our last edition, we explored the essence of reputation—how it shapes our personal and professional lives. Today, we’ll dive deeper into the psychological ingredients that sweeten or sour how others see us: perception, cognitive biases, and social influence. And I’m not doing this alone. As you may already know, philosophy is one of my study lines, and for this edition, I’m bringing in Immanuel Kant to help us explore these ideas.

In today’s fast-paced world, your reputation can be the sweet treat that opens doors—or it can crumble, depending on how it’s managed. As Kant observed, "We can never, even by the strictest examination, get completely behind the secret springs of action." Subjective interpretations beyond our control shape perception, yet we must manage how we’re seen to ensure the gap between perception and reality doesn’t grow.

Have you ever felt that one misstep or outdated narrative left a bitter aftertaste despite your efforts? This edition will help you ensure that your reputation stays as sweet as possible, aligning your appearance with who you are.

😉 Before we dive in, remember that your reputation should never come at the cost of your authenticity. The best reputations are built when we stay true to our values, not by trying to fit into others’ molds.

Don't forget to grab your coffee ☕️ and a donut 🍩 (!!!), and let’s get into the recipe for managing a stellar reputation!

Here is a little brief of what you are about to find today:

Just like crafting the perfect donut, building a strong reputation requires the right mix of ingredients. In this edition, we’ll learn how to bake a sweet reputation that lasts. Here’s what’s on today’s menu:

🍩 Perception: How others see you and why it might not always match reality.
🍩 Cognitive Biases: The mental shortcuts that skew how people form opinions.
🍩 Social Influence: How online communities and social platforms can magnify or sour your reputation.
🍩 Bridging the Gap: Steps to align perception with reality.
🍩 Framework: A practical guide to manage and sweeten your reputation.

PERCEPTION: The lens through which we are seen

Just like how a donut looks can determine whether you take the first bite, Kant reminds us that perception is never completely objective—personal biases and interpretations shape it. For leaders, this subjectivity is magnified. One small misstep can overshadow years of success as perceptions get filtered through cognitive biases.

Examples:

Elon Musk: While Musk’s visionary work is undeniable, his tweets sometimes overshadow Tesla's success, showing how even a genius can have a sour flavor day.
Sheryl Sandberg: Meta’s COO guided the company to massive success, but privacy scandals left a bitter aftertaste on her reputation, proving that even the best leaders can face negative narratives.

That said…

Audit your recipe: Check regularly with stakeholders to ensure the taste matches the recipe. Are people seeing your full value or focusing on a tiny ingredient?
Own your story: If you don’t share your own narrative, someone else might add the wrong flavors. Control how others see you through clear communication and transparency.
Manage the optics: Non-verbal signals matter just like how presentation matters with food. How you show up in meetings, public appearances, and even online shapes your appearance.

Let's have a deep dive into the main ones! 👇️

Cognitive Biases: The invisible forces at play

Sometimes, people taste your reputation through biased lenses—their subconscious influences or cognitive shortcuts can distort how they see you.

Examples:

Steve Jobs benefited from confirmation bias. His early success with Apple ensured that people continued to see him as a genius, even during challenging times.
Marissa Mayer at Yahoo struggled with negativity bias. Despite her success at Google, Yahoo’s ongoing challenges clouded how people viewed her leadership.

🤩 Tips:

Challenge outdated perceptions: if people hold onto stale narratives, highlight your recent wins and fresh initiatives to shift their view.
Leverage your strengths: like Oprah Winfrey, use your areas of strength to create a positive halo effect, ensuring that people see the best parts of your brand.

As Kant pointed out, perception is never completely objective. Our subconscious biases influence how we see things. These mental shortcuts can lead to misinterpreting others' actions. Recognizing and working with these biases can help prevent misunderstanding of your reputation.

And no, we're not talking only about social media.

Just like the glaze on a donut spreads evenly, social influence spreads perceptions quickly and widely. In today’s world, your reputation is not just what you say—it’s what others say about you.

Examples:

Mark Zuckerberg saw his once bright image as a tech innovator soured by the Cambridge Analytica scandal. His public image shifted as data privacy concerns took center stage.
Ellen DeGeneres, once known for her joyful persona, saw her sweet reputation melt when workplace toxicity stories went viral.

🎯 Takeaways:

Engage with your community: Stay connected in the digital spaces that matter. Social platforms can amplify or distract your message, so don’t stay silent.
Monitor your brand: Use social listening tools to anticipate how your name is mentioned. Just like baking, you must check the temperature often to avoid burning.

🙏 Please control the narrative: When things go wrong, respond quickly and transparently—don’t let the issue spread without addressing it.

Bridging the gap: From perception to reality

Sometimes, the gap between how you’re seen and who you truly are can feel as big as a hole in the middle of a donut. But, just like filling that hole, you can bridge the gap with authenticity and strategic action.

Companies like Intel and Disney are prime examples of this. As Scott Galloway points out in his "No Mercy No Malice” early October edition, both brands struggled when public perception didn’t align with their actions. Intel lost market confidence when it failed to keep pace with industry shifts, while Disney faced the slow death of cable TV. However, both brands successfully adapted and regained trust through strategic realignment and reinvention, proving that even the biggest companies can close the gap between perception and reality.

Professor Scott Galloway. Credit: Nick Rogers

Nothing like your own experience, right? Here's mine ;)

Not one, not two, but several times, I’ve been asked to "write a little and simple text" about something vital for the companies I worked for. And often, if questioned, the demander would become frustrated. In my earlier years, I constantly wondered "why":
Why couldn’t questions be asked?
Why did discussions around the complexity of content creation feel like a threat?
Why was shallow an option?
Why, why, why...?

Well, I’ve learned that the answer lies in patience and strategy—like baking the perfect donut, crafting content is full of subtle ingredients that, if mismeasured, can lead to unexpected results. Whether in communications, operations, finance, or any other executive field, content and messaging are not just "simple tasks"—they are strategic decisions. Every word you put out there can sweeten your brand's trust or leave a bitter aftertaste.

For all executives, content isn’t just about words—it’s about protecting and enhancing your business’s reputation. Whether it’s a message to investors, a customer-facing announcement, or a response to market changes, reputation management is the ingredient that keeps everything from falling apart.

Key ingredients for every C-level chef:

Know your recipe (understand the external and internal environment): Whether you’re a CFO, COO, or CEO, you must know the market context and your company’s internal goals before delivering any message.
Prepare your defense (point out the reasons for your defense): Every great recipe has critics—be ready to answer the tough questions about stakeholder reactions and be clear on why this message is essential.
Anticipate the heat (be prepared for questions): Think ahead about the questions that might come up. Whether from stakeholders or the board, being prepared keeps you from getting caught in a sticky situation.
Keep it simple but tasty (develop an agile, realistic plan): Make sure your messaging aligns with the broader business strategy, and don't go overboard with complex solutions that won’t land. Simplicity is often the best way to keep things sweet and effective.

At the end of the day, reputation is everyone’s business. From finance to operations, every leader contributes to either building or burning the trust that holds a company together. A carefully crafted, strategic message ensures your company’s reputation remains as sweet as a perfectly baked donut—trust me, that’s worth every bit of effort.

Just like an afternoon sweet, here comes an extra and unexpected guide…

💭 Reflection + 🎯 Key Takeaways

Managing your reputation is like perfecting a recipe. Here’s how to keep things sweet:

Perception can be managed: Consistency and authenticity are your main ingredients.
Social influence is powerful: Platforms like TikTok can spread sentiment fast—engage actively to protect your reputation from souring.

Agility matters: Respond quickly when misperceptions arise—don’t wait for them to bake too long.

❝

Your reputation is what you're perceived to be, your character is what you really are.

John Wooden, American basketball coach

Now… Your turn! 🫡

Let’s put this into action:

#1 Build your reputation playbook:

👉️ List 3 specific actions you can take this month to enhance your reputation.
👉️ Identify 2 strategies to strengthen your professional image.
👉️ Set 1 personal goal that aligns your actions with your core values.

#2 Reflect on Your Reputation:

How do you think others perceive you right now?
What’s one key area you’d like to improve?

What’s one thing you’ll do this month to enhance your reputation?
Think about an action that aligns with your core values—whether it’s delivering on a promise, engaging more meaningfully with your network, or refining your online presence. Let’s share and learn from each other!

Hit reply and tell me what steps you’ll take to strengthen your reputation. Maybe I'll highlight some examples (anonymously) in the next edition.

Your journey matters, and we’re all in this together \o/

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Keep in mind! 🧠

In this edition, you explored the following key ingredients for managing your reputation:

What reputation truly is—not just how others see you, but how your actions reflect your values and authenticity.
The enduring importance of reputation—across cultures and history, it remains one of the most powerful tools for shaping perceptions, whether for good or bad.
How to apply it in your life—both personally and professionally, your reputation is shaped by the choices you make, especially in today’s hyper-connected world where everything is visible online.

Reply

or to participate.

🍩 I know you want a recipe...

Come and get it!

Dear Reputation Builder,

PERCEPTION: The lens through which we are seen

Cognitive Biases: The invisible forces at play

Social Influence: The power of collective perception

Bridging the gap: From perception to reality

💭 Reflection + 🎯 Key Takeaways

Reply

_{Dear Reputation Builder,}