Mar
18
What’s A Reputation Worth?
March 18, 2008 | |
Ask Eliot Spitzer about the worth of a good reputation and he’d probably tell you that it is priceless. Spitzer, a longtime prosecutor who aggressively pursued big business and prostitution rings, has proof positive that years of building a reputation can be destroyed in nanoseconds.
We’ve discussed this here and here at our sister blog, THINKing (subscribe here).
Politicians never learn. If you are going to build your reputation as a tough pursuer of wrongdoers, then you have to keep your own nose clean. Power corrupts, as they say, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Spitzer got the headlines and the rep as a straight arrow, but apparently began to believe his own hype, and that he was above the law.
Some would say his downfall is karma because in his zeal, he ruined the lives of a number of business executives who weren’t guilty. I say that this was self-inflicted reputation suicide.
Comments
2 Comments so far
A reputation is priceless and many politicians have the idea that they are above the law. Spitzer is the latest politician to face reality, but it is evident in the current presidential race that skeletons are being pulled out of the candidate’s closets. John McCain is being attacked for how he met his current wife, and Hillary can’t escape the wrath of the Bill and Monica scandal. Those in the public eye need to keep in mind that the truth seems to always find its way out. It is important to have a good reputation but also practice what you preach so you don’t have to jeopardize your reputation.
Amen, Melissa. Too true.