Is Your Job Running out of Gas?

Lassiter tells the story of a woman consultant who got stuck with a reputation for being greedy. "There was a dispute over how to divvy up the rewards from a lucrative new client," Lassiter says. "One of her colleagues, who had a grudge against her, went to the boss and accused this woman of claiming more than her fair share. The charge that she was greedy and overreaching spread through the whole firm. The only route left open to her was to leave. Eventually she went to another big consulting firm and was quite happy there. But a major career shift had stemmed from that one episode."

So how do you manage your reputation? Lassiter suggests thinking about it as one element in your overall performance. Ask for regular feedback on how you are perceived within your company. "Say to your boss, 'I heard around the watercooler that there's a problem with my reputation. Do you think that's an accurate impression?' " she advises. "Then at least you can get it out in the open - where you can talk about it." You may not be able to change a bad reputation, but once you address it, you can decide whether the only solution is to change jobs. And you may find out that you have a good reputation. In that case, notes Lassiter, you've got the equivalent of an endorsement that you can add to your resume.

Gas-tank reading: 3/4 down

Michael Kaplan (mkap@interport.net) is a frequent contributor to fast Company. Tricia Tomiyoshi, a Fast Company intern, contributed to this article. You can reach Pam Lassiter by email (lsstr@tiac.net).