3 Things People Do At Work That Slowly Ruin Their Reputation, According To A Career Expert
Career expert Felecia Jordan explained that if you're doing any of these things at work, stop immediately.
MAYA LAB | Shutterstock In the workplace, your reputation is important. It dictates how your colleagues view you and even how leadership might evaluate you for things like promotions and raises. While major things like being late, not handing projects in on time, and refusing to participate in work culture can all be things that harm your position at a company, there are also more subtle, everyday things that people may not realize are doing them more harm than good.
In a TikTok video, a career expert named Felecia Jordan shared three specific things that employees should avoid doing at work, or else their reputation might suffer.
Here are 3 things people do at work that slowly ruin their reputation:
1. Oversharing
Jordan explained that while it's more than fine to have a casual conversation with your co-workers, you shouldn't share any intimate and personal details about your life. Surface-level conversations, like how your kids are doing, the latest movie/TV show that you binged, or even photos of your pets are part of the whole "water cooler" aspect of working a job, but the second you start to veer into topics that are too personal, like relationship drama, financial issues, or your deepest, darkest secrets, it might be your downfall.
"It can lead to unwanted judgment and also assumptions about your character," Jordan pointed out. "Be mindful about what you're sharing." Those deep and personal conversations should just be reserved for your friends and family. It's important to keep a boundary between your personal and professional life because the moment they start to bleed into one another, that's usually when issues arise.
2. Clocking co-workers
The moment that you start overly criticizing and judging what your co-workers are doing, that's usually a recipe for disaster in terms of your reputation. Jordan insisted that if your co-workers are doing things that don't impact you directly, keep it moving and just focus on yourself.
"Let them dig their own hole and watch them fall in it," she asserted. By sticking your nose in places that it doesn't belong, especially in the workplace, it can lead to drama and unnecessary conflict. If you truly feel that something a co-worker is doing is actually impacting you and your ability to work, that's why there are HR departments, and if that's not a possibility, consider talking directly to your manager so they can handle it. But getting involved yourself will never win you the brownie points you think.
A post on Reddit discussed this very topic, and users were quick to confirm that these company watchdogs, or "goons" as some users called them, don't fare well in most workplace environments. One commenter wrote, "Unfortunately most work environments have these watchdogs. For some it seems that getting your pay and getting out isn’t enough. They need the recognition from others that they’re actively looking out for the company. It’s like they’re unaware that they are wage slaves like every one else."
Another wisely noted, "A lot of it comes down to a feeling of control. Anything they can grasp at to make it feel as though they’re making a difference. There’s also the need for peer/authority recognition. While it may not endear you with peers, these people think by showing they’ve got the company interest at heart that management will notice them."
3. Avoiding accountability
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Accountability is always valued in both life and the workplace. No one enjoys making mistakes, and it never feels good to know that you're the person who messed up and dropped the ball. However, the best way to address this is to simply demonstrate maturity and acknowledge where your faults lie. It's only through doing that that you'll be able to grow.
"Don't go blaming everybody else when it was clearly your mistake," Jordan said. "Just talk about how you mitigate this from happening again in the future, and keep it moving. But the moment you keep pointing your finger at everyone else, it just shows that you can't take accountability for yourself."
Remember, no one gets things right all the time. Perfection is an illusion. Own your mistake, and learn from it. You'll end up being admired for your attitude.
Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor's degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.
