6 step guide to protecting your reputation this festive season

Article contributed by Hannah Samuel.

After another year trying to impress, and putting your best foot forward with clients and colleagues, Christmas can be a welcome opportunity to really let your hair down and have some fun.

But whilst Christmas is traditionally the season of goodwill, it’s also the season of the spectacular social and professional blunder, when too much of a good time – alcohol, relaxation and momentary flippancy – can have disastrous, and long-lasting, consequences both personally and professionally. The festive season is a reputation-minefield that can leave you nursing more than a sore head come the New Year.

Most people can relate to their own or another person’s behaviour at an end-of-year function that leaves them wincing in embarrassment. What you consider to be ‘harmless fun’ can literally slam doors in your face and derail opportunities if you get offside with family, colleagues or clients, or inadvertently leave a bad impression where you didn’t intend to.

A reputation can take years to build but only seconds to damage or destroy. Stories of embarrassing, career-limiting behaviour abound and a significant number of them can find their way onto YouTube without the so-called ‘star of the show’ even knowing.
Now is not the time to tell your key client you think they need an attitude transplant or demonstrate your pole-dancing abilities on top of the nearest table or photocopier.

Taking a moment to think ahead before hitting ‘party central’, could save both your reputation and any embarrassment that could come back to haunt you when the party’s over. So as you head off to those end-of-functions this year remember:

• Have a plan before you head out. Decide in advance who you’ll spend time with and when you might leave, and get a trusted friend on board to keep you on track as the party progresses.
• Go easy on the alcohol. It might dull your mind, but chances are the person listening to your ramblings will remember your comments with clarity and may even use them against you at some future date.
• Avoid giving inappropriate, risky or tasteless gifts. Every time the person who receives it looks at it, they’ll think of you and how inappropriate it was. You may even earn a reputation you don’t want and be the subject of sniggers and whispers long after the wrapping paper’s been tossed.
• What you might consider acceptable behaviour, may not wash with work colleagues and clients. Trying to justify your behaviour probably won’t help, if others see it as offensive or inappropriate. Rightly or wrongly, you’ll simply be judged accordingly.
• Avoid gossip, rumours or innuendo. They can have far-reaching, damaging consequences for you and others and make people distrust you in the future.
• Once raised, doubt is extremely difficult to remove. Avoid doing or saying anything that will make others question your judgment, ethics or motives.

Remember: the camera is always rolling, the microphone is always on and there’s no such thing as ‘off the record’. People might believe reputation is an old-fashioned concept, but as many find out to their cost, people are always sitting in silent judgement – especially at end-of-year parties.