Fresh Starts: How to Rebuild Your Reputation at Work
By Stephanie Bickel
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It feels like you are stumbling. Maybe you fumbled through a meeting, gave an offhand comment that didn’t land well, or simply left a poor impression with a senior leader. The pit in your stomach is real, and you’re left wondering: Will they always see me this way? How do you recover when your reputation has taken a hit?
Every day presents an opportunity for a fresh start. Whether you’ve made a mistake or feel misunderstood, the way forward is to stop focusing on the past and start shaping your next interaction. In our latest podcast episode, Fresh Starts, we share six powerful tips to help you rebuild your reputation and leave a lasting positive impression.
There’s a common belief that you cannot change a person's first impression in a meaningful way. While first impressions do matter, they aren’t the end-all-be-all. The myth here is that once people form an opinion about you, it’s set in stone. But that’s simply not true. Research shows that people remember their most recent interaction with you more than the first one. This means that you have the power to redefine how you are perceived—starting today.
Creating a fresh start isn’t about overhauling your entire personality or reputation. It’s about making small but meaningful adjustments in your approach—right now. Whether you’ve had a single bad day or a series of challenging interactions, there are tangible steps you can take to turn things around. And guess what? You don’t need a major reinvention. Instead, focus on these six exciting tips:
Get hyped about the "new you": You're not just starting over—you’re leveling up. Get excited about showing off this version of yourself.
Crush those first 30 words: These are your power-packed opening lines. They’ll set the tone and make people lean in with curiosity and trust.
Bring the WOW factor to your style: A small tweak, like a bold color or new accessory, can transform how you feel and how others see you.
Own the space—inside and out: Shoulders back, head high. Show them the real, confident you, both in your stance and your story.
Become a conversation chameleon: Match their vibe, mirror their energy, and leave them thinking, Wow, we’re in sync!
Warm it up, baby: Confidence is cool, but warmth is magnetic. Turn up that friendly energy and watch trust build in no time.
Here’s the tough part: It won’t happen overnight. Rebuilding your reputation or resetting a relationship at work requires consistency. People won’t immediately forget the past, but the more intentional you are about how you show up every day, the quicker they will begin to see the new you. And yes, you might face resistance or doubt from others along the way. That’s okay. Stay patient, stay committed, and the shift will come.
Studies in psychology have shown that recency bias—the idea that people remember the latest interaction over the initial one—plays a significant role in how we perceive others. According to research by Dr. Philip Zimbardo, people are more likely to remember how a conversation ended rather than how it began. This means that your last interaction has more weight than you think, giving you a real chance to shape how others see you moving forward.
Take Chris, a mid-level manager in a growing tech company. After a particularly challenging 6-month project, where he felt unheard and frustrated, he later received a performance review that label him as "disengaged and ineffective". Instead of letting that project define him, Chris decided to make a shift. He focused on those six tips from Fresh Starts—he reframed his mindset, started opening up to his team, and became more intentional with his language. In just a few weeks, his team began to respond differently. They trusted him more, sought out his input, and even joked that they were seeing a “new Chris.”
That wasn’t because he had changed everything about himself—it was because he made a few small, but significant changes in how he interacted with others. And those small changes added up.
Imagine walking into work tomorrow with a fresh perspective. Your shoulders are back, your eyes are open and warm, and your words are sharp yet kind. People greet you differently. You’re seen as someone who’s not just competent, but also approachable and trustworthy. Over time, these small moments of interaction shape a reputation that reflects your best self—a leader who’s confident, clear, and engaging.
That future starts today. Don’t wait for the perfect moment or a clean slate—because a fresh start is something you can create whenever you decide.
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