Once a reputation sticks at work, it can feel impossible to change.

You’re trying to do better and you’re showing up differently.

But people still see the old you:

The "difficult" one
The "not a team player"
The "abrasive" manager
The person who "messed up that one time" and never lived it down

You can’t outwork a bad story that’s still circulating about you in rooms you’re not in.

What you need is a strategy, not just more effort.

In this episode, Ramona breaks down a clear, practical framework to rebuild a damaged work reputation and actually make your growth visible to others.

You’ll learn:

Why quietly "doing better" isn’t enough to change how people see you
The psychology behind how reputations form and get stuck at work
Scripts to use when you need to own past mistakes without over‑apologizing
How to redirect gossip and old narratives without sounding defensive

If you feel like your past at work keeps dragging your present (and future) down, this episode will show you how to take back control of the narrative.

Listen now on our Website, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.

— RESOURCES MENTIONED —

Schedule a Leadership Strategy Call with Ramona HERE.
Grab the free New Manager Toolkit mentioned in the episode: archova.org/freetoolkits
Learn how to turn your 1-on-1 meetings from time wasters, awkward moments, status updates, or non-existent into your most important and valuable meeting with your directs all week. Learn more at: http://archova.org/1on1-course
Grab your copy of Ramona's best-selling book 'The Confident & Competent New Manager: How to Rapidly Rise to Success in Your First Leadership Role': amzn.to/3TuOdcP

— OTHER EPISODES YOU MIGHT LIKE —

Episode 248 - Mental Traps That Keep Leaders Stuck
Episode 203 - Current-Day Lessons From Historical Leaders - with Moshik Temkin

— WHAT’S NEXT? —

Learn more about our leadership development programs, coaching and workshops at archova.org.

Grab your copy of Ramona's best-selling book 'The Confident & Competent New Manager: How to Rapidly Rise to Success in Your First Leadership Role': amzn.to/3TuOdcP

Want to better understand your leadership style and patterns? Take our free quiz to discover your Manager Archetype and learn how to play to your strengths and uncover your blind spots: archova.org/quiz

Are you in your first manager role and don't want to mess it up? Watch our FREE Masterclass and discover the 4 shifts to become a leader people love to work for: archova.org/masterclass

Love the podcast and haven’t left a review yet? All you have to do is go to ramonashaw.com/itunes and to our Spotify Page, and give your honest review. Thanks for your support of this show!

If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device and post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag me @ramona.shaw.leadership or DM me on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/ramona-shaw

* Disclaimer: Shownotes may contain affiliate links. That means that I am awarded a small commission for purchases made through them, at no added cost to you.

How to Rebuild a Bad Work Reputation (Ep. 299)