There are people you instantly trust.
Maybe because they always follow through, treat everyone with respect, or their actions consistently match their words.
The opposite is true too.
We’ve all met people who make a great first impression, only to slowly lose our trust over time. Perhaps not because of one big mistake, but because of a series of small experiences.
Think about the last time someone recommended a movie, a book, or even another business to you? (ahem… Conquer Leadership anyone? )
Before you ever walked through the door or met the person, you already had expectations.
This got me thinking after a recent conversation with branding expert Shahzad Gidwani. He shared a simple idea:
The more I thought about it, the more I realized this isn’t just a branding lesson. It’s a lesson in personal branding, self-leadership, and personal excellence, because expectations alone don’t build trust. The way we consistently show up, DOES.
This led me to this simple framework.
The Reputation Formula
Brand (creates expectations) + Self-Leadership (consistently delivers) = Reputation
At first, it feels like a branding formula – not another one ughhh – I know. Right?
It’s really a formula for becoming the kind of person people trust.
> I’M READY TO LISTEN: BRAND = EXPECTATION <
1. Your brand creates expectations
Every interaction helps shape your personal brand and creates an expectation.
- A referral.
- A LinkedIn profile.
- A conversation.
- A proposal.
- A recommendation from a friend.
People begin forming an opinion way before they decide whether they trust you. We’re all told not to judge a book by its cover. But we all do it. I know you do. I do too.
This is why Shahzad describes a brand as the expectation people have before, during, and after they experience you.
The question isn’t whether people have expectations. They do. The question is…
Are you delivering on expectations?
2. You deliver the promise
Expectations are only half the equation.
What happens next is where trust is either built or broken. This is where personal branding, self-leadership, and leadership development come together.
As Shahzad reminds us, people don’t experience your logo. They experience YOU.
- How you communicate.
- Whether you follow through.
- How you respond when things don’t go as planned.
- How you treat people when nobody is watching.
- Whether your actions consistently match your values.
Over time, people stop listening to what you say and start believing what they repeatedly experience from you. This is why self-leadership matters. It’s the bridge between expectation and reputation.
And the gap between what people expect and what they experience is where trust is either strengthened or weakened.
“Imagine a leader who says one thing and does another” – Shahzad Gidwani, ConquerCast.
It only takes a few moments for people to begin questioning your credibility.
3. Reputation Is earned
Reputation isn’t built in one conversation. It isn’t built by one social media post or one great presentation.
It’s built ONE interaction at a time.
- One promise kept.
- One difficult conversation handled well.
- One email answered.
- One commitment honoured.
- One opportunity to do the right thing.
Eventually, these moments add up. People begin to trust you because they’ve experienced enough consistency to believe you.
This is when reputation is earned.
Self-Leadership checkpoint
Think about someone you deeply trust. Now ask yourself why.
Chances are, it isn’t because they told you they were trustworthy. It’s because they consistently proved it.
Put the Reputation Formula to work
Ask yourself:
- What expectations am I creating?
- Am I delivering on those expectations?
- If someone experienced me every day for the next year, what reputation would I earn?
We all have a reputation. The question is whether you’re intentionally building a personal brand that strengthens it.
So, before you update your LinkedIn profile, redesign your website, or think about your next post, ask yourself one simple question:
- Am I delivering on the expectations people already have of me?
Because your reputation isn’t built by what you say about yourself. It’s built by what people consistently experience from you.
Conquer your potential.
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Parm works with aspiring and established leaders to optimize peak performance through leadership development, team building and coaching. When embraced, this changes behaviour, increases collaboration, improves engagement and builds stronger culture.
One of the ways Parm adds value is by sending out weekly leadership development and personal growth lessons. There will always be something for you to apply in your personal growth and professional development. And to say thank you and welcome, look out for two bonus gifts.
Reach out to Parm directly or subscribe to the Conquer Your Potential email list: https://conquerleadership.ca.
