Reputation Rehab and What to Do When Your Name Takes a Hit
- Brainz Magazine
- 1 day ago
- 7 min read
Dr. Donya Ball is transformative superintendent, renowned for her leadership expertise, keynote speaking, and executive coaching. Author of Adjusting the Sails (2022) and Against the Wind (2023), she captivates audiences and readers globally for her thought leadership, including her TedXTalk, "We are facing a leadership crisis. Here's the cure."
This article, adapted from a chapter in Adjusting the Sails: Weathering the Storms of Administrative Leadership, dives into one of the most overlooked truths in leadership today: your brand is either being built with intention, or rewritten without your permission. In today’s high-speed, hyper-connected world, silence doesn’t protect you; it defines you. Strategic communication and intentional branding aren’t just nice to have, they’re how you lead, influence, and endure.
Silence isn’t neutral, it’s permission. And in a digital world where perception is currency, your silence can cost you credibility, trust, and your entire professional momentum. In the research study conducted in 2024, Almeida and colleagues found that brand reputation is directly linked to customer satisfaction and trust, which are shaped by the quality and reliability of products and services (Almeida et al. 9681, 2024).
Social media. Emails. Press releases. Conversations in the grocery store line. In every industry, you are constantly communicating whether you intend to or not. And when branding missteps happen, they don’t just bruise your image; they snowball into public perception problems that can haunt your work, your leadership, and your mission. But here’s the truth: it's not about perfection. It's about intentionality. And when things go sideways, you can recover if you're willing to own the narrative.
The myth of branding
Too many professionals still believe branding is just about logos, colors, and catchy slogans. But the real myth? That staying quiet keeps you safe. The truth is: your brand is built whether you’re speaking or not. And if you’re not intentional, someone else will build it for you with their own words, assumptions, and opinions.
Branding is not an accessory to leadership, it’s a survival skill. You’re communicating constantly: through your actions, your silence, your visibility, and your choices. If you're not shaping the perception of your work and your values, someone else will fill in the blanks. And often, they get it wrong.
Perception is the real product
Whether you’re managing a nonprofit, running a business, or leading a school district, your brand is more than your logo or tagline. It’s how people feel when they hear your name. It’s the story they tell others when you’re not in the room. If you don’t craft and communicate that story with purpose, others will do it for you and their version may not be flattering.
The most common mistake leaders make? Going quiet. Thinking that silence is safe. But the absence of communication is communication. It signals uncertainty, fear, or worse, apathy. That void is quickly crowded by gossip, assumptions, and flawed narratives. In a study from 2023, Patel and team found that effective digital brand building and online reputation management are now essential for professionals in all sectors to maintain credibility and public trust (Patel et al. 1025, 2023).
Own the message, shape the reality
Think about a popular worldwide hamburger joint or coffee chain that has solidified itself as a household name. One customer's experience of getting sick from a hamburger or purchasing a bitter cup of coffee isn’t going to take down the entire brand. Why? Because the brand is solid. It has been intentionally built and reinforced over time with consistency, visibility, and clear messaging. That kind of brand resilience doesn’t happen by accident; it’s the product of deliberate leadership.
Branding isn’t about spin. It’s about telling the truth with clarity and consistency. Our brains are naturally wired to filter information based on perceived relevance; it's called the Reticular Activating System. When you consistently highlight what's going well, your audience's brains are trained to notice those successes too, reinforcing the reality you want them to see. The brain is wired to notice what it’s trained to focus on. If you don’t highlight what’s working, your mission, your progress, your people, don’t be surprised when all anyone sees are the gaps, the failures, and the noise.
Leadership isn’t neutral ground. You live in a glasshouse. That means you need to be proactive about sharing the good, the real, and even the messy before someone else tells a skewed version of your story.
Recovering from a branding misstep
Branding missteps can happen in the blink of an eye or slowly over time. One misunderstood tweet, an offhand comment, or even showing up unprepared at a key meeting can instantly send the wrong message. But just as often, it’s the small, repeated moments of inattention or inconsistent communication that gradually erode your credibility. Sometimes it’s not even what you say, it’s what you fail to say. When leaders don't speak into tension, clarify confusion, or actively shape the public perception, the brand drifts into dangerous territory. What begins as a small misalignment can slowly or suddenly spiral into a full-blown identity crisis if left unchecked.
When the story goes off script, here’s your path forward:
1. Acknowledge the narrative shift
Don’t pretend it didn’t happen. Whether the problem was a social media post, a poorly handled meeting, or a viral email screenshot, people are talking. Show them you’re aware. Own it publicly and without defensiveness. Transparency earns trust. It’s not about broadcasting every mistake but about signaling that you understand the moment, its impact, and your responsibility. Even a short, sincere acknowledgment can pause the rumor mill and start to rebuild respect. In a multinational study from 2022, Zerfass and colleagues found that proactive crisis communication and transparent engagement are critical for restoring brand reputation after a reputational incident (Zerfass et al. 627, 2022).
2. Control what comes next
The first story people hear usually sticks, but the follow-up can reframe it. Use video, direct emails, virtual or in-person forums to transparently clarify, correct, and recommit. Don’t let someone else’s version of events dominate the narrative. Your response should be timely, thoughtful, and clear, replacing speculation with fact and reshaping perception. Be strategic about your communication tools and consistent in your message across all platforms.
3. Engage in forward & big picture thinking
Make sure every message moving forward is aligned with the future you want people to believe in. People forgive mistakes faster when they understand the motive behind your work. Use this moment to remind your audience of your long-term vision and how you’re recommitting to it. Ground every update and recovery effort in your values to restore clarity and purpose (Almeida et al. 9681, 2024).
4. Be consistently visible
Whether it’s regular updates on Instagram, behind-the-scenes glimpses in your newsletter, or consistent leadership presence at meetings and events, your visibility should reflect reliability and intention. If you only show up when there's a problem, your community will start to associate you with a crisis. Regular communication, both in-person and digital, reinforces your stability and reliability. Visibility builds trust. Make it a habit to celebrate wins, highlight progress, and stay involved, even when there’s no fire to put out. It’s this consistency that makes people feel safe and informed.
5. Stay human
Share the real you. Show up as a parent, a friend, a mentor. People don’t expect flawlessness. They expect honesty. Vulnerability, when balanced with professionalism, builds deep loyalty. When leaders let people in, even just a little, they become relatable and trustworthy. Share snippets of your day-to-day, your learning moments, and your humanity. That’s what brings your brand to life.
Leadership branding in action
Reputation rehab isn’t theoretical, it’s tactical. Here are four examples from diverse industries that demonstrate how leaders navigated branding missteps and rebuilt trust:
The CEO who overshared
In the corporate world, a well-liked CEO of a mid-sized tech firm posted a personal rant on their private Facebook page that was later screenshot and circulated. Though meant for friends, the post painted a tone-deaf picture that clashed with the company’s values. Employees felt disillusioned. Rather than hiding behind PR, the CEO issued a statement to the staff, owned the misjudgment, and led a company-wide session on digital boundaries and inclusive leadership.
The nonprofit leader who misread the room
After launching a new fundraising campaign with a slogan that unintentionally alienated a portion of its donor base, a nonprofit director found herself facing public criticism. She responded quickly with a letter explaining the misalignment, opened space for community dialogue, and began re-evaluating the campaign’s messaging in real time. Instead of shutting it down immediately, she invited key stakeholders to help reframe the initiative, signaling a willingness to listen and adapt.
The startup founder who fumbled a launch
A startup founder rushed to market with a new product that promised accessibility, equity, and innovation, but instead, it launched with a confusing interface, inaccessible features, and misaligned messaging. Early adopters voiced frustration across platforms, citing usability issues and a disconnect between the messaging and the product experience. Instead of going silent, the founder took to LinkedIn with a thoughtful post acknowledging the feedback and outlining her commitment to improve. She invited users into the solution by launching a public beta feedback group, offering early access in exchange for honest critiques and co-design input. Weekly updates followed, documenting the changes being made and giving shout-outs to user contributions.
The district superintendent who went silent
A district superintendent faced backlash after a controversial student disciplinary decision was shared widely on social media. Instead of addressing the concerns, the leader went dark, no statements, no updates, no visibility. The silence allowed misinformation to spread, damaging parent trust. After two weeks, the superintendent posted a video acknowledging the community’s frustration, walked through the timeline of events transparently, and shared how the district was refining discipline protocols. The turning point? Hosting a live parent forum where voices were heard, questions were answered, and a new bridge of trust was formed.
These stories remind us: your brand isn’t just what you say. It’s how you lead through the moments that test you.
Your brand is your leadership
Your job isn’t to please everyone. It’s to lead everyone. That means being a brand that’s grounded, intentional, and unshakably consistent. Leadership isn't about being flashy or perfect, it's about showing up with courage and clarity every single day.
Your reputation is too valuable to outsource. And your brand is too important to abandon just because things got messy.
Reputation rehab doesn’t start with a press release, it starts with your next move.
Dr. Donya Ball, Leadership Expert, Keynote Speaker, Best Selling Author
Dr. Donya Ball is a renowned keynote speaker, transformative superintendent, and passionate author. With over two decades of experience, she also serves as a professor and executive coach, mentoring and guiding aspiring and seasoned leaders. She has authored two impactful books, Adjusting the Sails (2022) and Against the Wind (2023), which address real-world leadership challenges. Her expertise has garnered national attention from media outlets like USA Today and MSN. Dr. Ball’s TEDxTalk, "We are facing a leadership crisis. Here’s the cure," further highlights her thought leadership.
