Saying one thing to one person and something else to another in order to gain favor or advantage will kill your reputation and stifle innovation.

Eric Schiffer, chairman of Reputation Management Consultants.com, said that such double-talk chips away at how others perceive your character. “You don’t want to get known as a chameleon,” he told TheStreet. “Don’t tell one thing to one co-worker and then an entirely different thing to your boss. Word gets around faster than you might think that you’re not being aboveboard.”

For example, Joe told his boss, Steve, that the new product rollout was terrific and consumer response on social media was positive. It was Steve’s project, so Steve is happy. Then Joe told his colleague, Susan, that the new product rollout was a disaster and consumer response on social media was negative. He said this because Susan had always had doubts about the rollout, and he wanted to flatter her.

Then at a staff meeting, Steve said that based on Joe’s glowing report, he was doubling the investment in the new product rollout.

Now Susan thinks Joe is a lowlife scum. The respect is gone.

Your credibility is priceless, and you must protect it.

Innovation Leaders Know…

In its simplest terms, duplicity is dishonest and disrespectful. Innovation leaders know everyone is watching them, and every ex-employee is a few digital taps away from destroying their brand as a leader. Managing your reputation should be institutionalized as part of your formal leadership strategy. And the best way to manage your reputation is to speak honestly and openly with a consistent message that never deviates from the truth or your genuine intentions. Your teams talk to each other, and sooner or later duplicity will kill your brand as a superstar innovation leader. Innovation leaders have a clear mission that they accurately communicate across the entire enterprise in a consistent and honest way.