1. Ego management is an important first step in reputation management.
2. Excellent reputations are always built on a consistent foundation of truth; never lies or spin.
3. The longer you hide or are in denial of the truth, the more damage done to your reputation.
4. You must be fully honest with yourself first, before you can be honest with others.
5. A true apology contains no IFs or BUTs, and includes lasting behavioral change.
6. Humility is difficult, but one of the most powerful tools in building, maintaining and repairing a reputation.
7. Transparency builds trust and without trust your reputation is built on shifting sand.
8. An excellent reputation requires true accountability in order to keep you honest and achieve your goals.
9. You must go through the fire and darkness with your own issues before you can earn an excellent, long-term reputation.
10. To maintain your reputation, you must be willing to defend it.
11. To overcome your faults, you must think of something bigger than yourself (God and family are 2 good examples).
12. An excellent reputation is everything and the best gift you can give yourself and your family.
Mike Paul is The Reputation Doctor® and president & CEO of Reputation Doctor® LLC. He is considered one of the top crisis PR consultants in the world.