Chapter 13: A Good Name Built by Deeds

A New Electrician and an Empty Calendar

Precious is twenty-four and recently qualified as an electrician. After her apprenticeship, she decided to work for herself, taking on small jobs in homes: fixing faulty sockets, installing lights, checking old wiring. She is skilled and careful. But in her first three months, she has had very little work. People in her area already have electricians they trust, and they do not know her name.

Precious has been tempted by various shortcuts. A friend suggested that she post many glowing reviews of her own work online, under false names, to make her business look established. Another suggested that she offer prices so low that nobody could refuse, even though she would lose money on every job. A third suggested that she simply tell potential customers that she had many years of experience, which was not true. Precious did not like any of these ideas. They felt dishonest, or unsustainable, or both. But she was worried, and she was not sure what else to do.

Her old supervisor from her apprenticeship, an electrician who had worked in the area for thirty years, gave her different advice over a cup of tea. "A good name is not something you make," he said. "It is something you earn, one job at a time. Do every job as if your name depends on it, because it does. Be on time. Clean up after yourself. Explain things to people honestly. Charge fairly. And when you do something well, ask the customer to tell their friends."

Precious followed this advice. It was slow. But within a year, she had a steady stream of work, almost all of it from customers who had been recommended by others. Her name had become known, not through tricks, but through deeds. One customer, an elderly man whose old wiring she had found to be dangerous, told everyone in his street that she had probably saved his life. That single job brought her more work than any advertising could have done.

Machiavelli thought carefully about how reputations are built. He wrote about it both in The Prince, regarding rulers, and in the Discourses, regarding ordinary citizens of a republic. His conclusions, especially in the Discourses, are surprisingly close to the advice Precious received over that cup of tea.

Esteem Through Deeds

In chapter 21 of The Prince, Machiavelli asks what makes a ruler esteemed. His first answer is that nothing brings a ruler so much esteem as great undertakings and rare examples of his own ability. People admire those who accomplish remarkable things. He also suggests that a ruler should try, in every action, to show himself to be a person of greatness and excellent judgment (The Prince, chapter 21).

But Machiavelli also points to quieter sources of esteem. A ruler, he says, should show himself to be a lover of ability, and should honour those who are excellent in any art or skill. He should encourage his citizens to carry on their work in peace, whether in trade, in farming or in any other occupation, without fear that what they build will be taken from them. And he should reward those who improve their trades and who find ways to make the city more prosperous (The Prince, chapter 21). In other words, a ruler is esteemed not only for his own great deeds, but for creating conditions in which others can do good work and be recognized for it.

In the same chapter, Machiavelli advises that a ruler is esteemed when he is clearly a true friend or a true enemy, that is, when he declares himself openly rather than staying neutral to avoid risk. People respect those who take clear positions and stand by them more than those who always try to please everyone (The Prince, chapter 21). For ordinary workers, this suggests that a good name includes being known for what you stand for: for clear, honest positions, rather than for agreeing with whoever spoke last.

Some of Machiavelli's advice in this chapter concerns spectacle: he suggests that rulers should keep their people occupied with festivals and shows at suitable times of the year. This reflects his view that appearances matter to the public, which we discussed in Chapter 4. For ordinary working life, the useful part is the emphasis on deeds and on recognizing the deeds of others, not on spectacle.

The central lesson is that esteem, in Machiavelli's view, is built mainly on what a person actually does. Words, promises and appearances may influence a first impression. But a lasting reputation is built on accomplishments, on consistent behaviour and on the way a person treats the work and the people around them.

How a Citizen's Name Begins

In the Discourses, Machiavelli turns from rulers to ordinary citizens. In the thirty-fourth chapter of the third book, he asks how a citizen of a republic first comes to be known and trusted by the public. He describes three ways (Discourses, Book 3, chapter 34).

The first way is through one's family. A young person whose parents were well known and respected may receive some of their reputation at the start. But Machiavelli observes that this kind of reputation is weak and soon fades unless the person adds something of their own. Inherited reputation is a borrowed weapon, to use the language of Chapter 3.

In modern working life, the equivalent of family reputation might be the name of a famous school, a well-known previous employer or an impressive job title. These can open doors at the start. But like inherited reputation in Machiavelli's republic, they fade quickly if they are not supported by our own work. A person hired because of an impressive previous employer will be judged, within months, by what they actually do in the new job.

The second way is through the company one keeps. A person who spends time with serious, good and wise people is likely to be seen as similar to them. People judge us partly by our associations, because they assume that we share the qualities of those we choose to be with. This is a stronger basis for reputation than family, Machiavelli suggests, because it reflects our own choices.

The third way, and the strongest, is through some notable action, public or private, that shows a person's ability and character, especially when it is done early in their career. A single remarkable deed, Machiavelli says, can establish a reputation that lasts, because people remember it and talk about it. He adds that the reputation must then be maintained by continuing to act well, because a name built on one deed and then neglected will fade (Discourses, Book 3, chapter 34).

Precious's experience fits this pattern closely. She had no family reputation in the trade. She did not yet have well-known associates. Her reputation began with a notable action: finding the dangerous wiring that might have harmed an elderly man. The man talked about it, and the story spread. And she maintained the reputation by doing every subsequent job with the same care. Machiavelli also notes, in the same chapter, that ordinary people judge reputations surprisingly well over time, especially when choosing whom to trust. Precious's customers, recommending her to their friends, were making exactly this kind of judgment.

Sabine and the Company She Keeps

Sabine is forty-eight and has worked as an accountant for twenty years, mostly in one large organization. Last year, the organization reduced its staff, and Sabine lost her job. She decided to start her own small practice, offering accounting services to small businesses and charities. She is very skilled, but like Precious, she is unknown outside her old workplace.

Sabine realized that her reputation had been largely tied to her old employer. Inside the organization, everyone knew her work. Outside it, nobody did. She needed to build a name of her own. Thinking about Machiavelli's three ways, she saw that she could not rely on her family, but she could work on the company she kept and on notable actions.

She joined a local association of small-business owners, attended its monthly meetings and listened carefully to the problems people described. She volunteered to give a free talk at one meeting on how small businesses could prepare for their annual accounts. The talk was practical and clear, and several people asked for her card afterwards. She also offered to help a local charity, which was struggling with its records, without charge for the first month. The charity's committee members, many of them well connected in the community, were impressed by her work and mentioned her to others.

Within a year, Sabine had a good number of clients, most of whom had heard of her through the association or the charity. "I learned that a reputation outside a big organization has to be built from nothing," she says. "You build it by being useful to people in public, and by being seen with people others trust." She was careful, though, not to treat the charity work merely as a marketing exercise. She genuinely cared about the charity's cause and continued to help it long after she was established.

Sabine's story shows Machiavelli's second and third ways working together. Her association with respected members of her community, and her notable acts of public usefulness, built a name that her years inside a large organization had not. It also shows that the best reputations are built by deeds that are genuinely good, not by deeds done only for show. People are often quick to sense the difference.

Sabine also discovered that the association gave her something more valuable than clients. It gave her colleagues. As someone working alone for the first time, she had missed the conversations, advice and shared problem-solving of her old workplace. The other members of the association, facing similar challenges, became a source of ideas and support. Good company, she found, does not only improve how others see us. It also improves who we are and how well we work.

Rafiq and the Bad Reviews

Rafiq is forty and runs a small removals business with two vans and five workers. Two years ago, the business went through a bad period. A new worker was careless, several pieces of furniture were damaged and Rafiq, distracted by a family illness, did not handle the complaints well. A number of angry reviews appeared online. Bookings fell sharply.

Rafiq's first impulse was to fight the reviews: to argue with the customers online, to explain that the situation had been exceptional and to ask friends to post positive reviews to balance the negative ones. A business adviser he trusted told him firmly not to do any of this. Arguing with customers in public would make him look defensive. Fake positive reviews would be dishonest and, if discovered, would destroy his reputation completely. "The only thing that can repair a reputation damaged by bad deeds," she said, "is good deeds."

Rafiq followed this advice. He contacted each customer who had complained, apologized sincerely and offered to pay for repairs. He replied to the negative reviews briefly and politely, acknowledging the problems and explaining what he had changed. He retrained his workers carefully and introduced a checklist for protecting furniture. He also began to do small extra things: arriving early, wrapping fragile items with special care and calling customers the day after a move to make sure everything was all right.

Slowly, new reviews began to appear, mostly positive. Some customers mentioned specifically that they had seen the old complaints and been impressed by how Rafiq had responded. One customer, whose antique table had been damaged in the bad period, wrote a new review saying that Rafiq had paid for its repair without argument and that she would use his company again. Bookings gradually recovered.

Rafiq's experience shows that reputations can be damaged by deeds, and repaired by deeds, but not by words alone. Machiavelli warned that a ruler should avoid things that make him hated or held in contempt, because such reputations are very hard to change. Rafiq learned that the way back from a damaged reputation is slow, honest and practical: acknowledging mistakes, making amends and then doing consistently good work until the new deeds outweigh the old.

Mina's First Notable Act

Mina is nineteen and works in her first job, as an assistant at a large garden centre. She is shy and does not think of herself as remarkable. Her tasks are simple: watering plants, stocking shelves, helping customers find what they need. She assumes that nobody notices her much.

One busy Saturday, Mina noticed that a tall stack of heavy pots near the entrance had begun to lean dangerously. Children were playing nearby while their parents shopped. Mina's first thought was that it was not her job, and that someone more senior must have noticed. But the stack looked worse each minute. She asked the parents to move their children away, put up a temporary barrier with some trolleys and went to find the manager, who arranged for the stack to be taken down and rebuilt safely.

It was a small act, and Mina did not think much of it. But the manager did. At the next staff meeting, she described what Mina had done and thanked her publicly. She also asked Mina to help review the safety of displays throughout the garden centre. Other staff began to see Mina differently: not as the shy new assistant, but as someone who noticed things and acted responsibly.

What struck Mina most was that she had nearly done nothing. Her first thought, that it was not her job and that someone more senior must have noticed, is one that almost everyone has had. In busy places, many people often see the same problem, and each assumes that someone else will deal with it. The person who breaks this pattern, who steps forward instead of assuming, is often the one whose name becomes known. Not because they are braver than everyone else, but because they acted while others waited.

Mina's reputation in the garden centre grew from that moment, much as Machiavelli described. A single notable act, done early in her working life, established her name as someone reliable and alert. And she maintained it by continuing to notice things and to act when needed. A year later, she was made responsible for training new assistants in safety procedures.

Mina's story shows that a notable act does not need to be dramatic or grand. It needs only to show, clearly and memorably, something good about a person's character or ability: their care, their honesty, their courage, their skill. Such acts often happen in ordinary moments, when someone does the right thing instead of assuming it is someone else's job. These are the moments from which good names are made.

Practical Steps: Building a Good Name

The first step is to do every piece of work as if your name depends on it. In a sense, it does. Each job, each task, each interaction with a colleague or customer adds a little to your reputation or takes a little away. Consistent care over time is the foundation of a good name.

The second step is to watch for chances to do something notable. These are often ordinary moments that call for a little extra care, honesty or courage: noticing a danger, admitting a mistake, solving a difficult problem, helping someone in difficulty. When such a moment comes, act well. You never know which deed people will remember.

The third step is to keep good company. Spend time with people whose work and character you respect. Join groups, associations or communities connected with your work, and be genuinely useful within them. People judge us partly by the company we keep, and good company also helps us become better at what we do.

The fourth step is to take clear, honest positions. Be known for what you stand for. When something matters, say what you think, respectfully and with reasons, rather than always agreeing with whoever is in charge. People trust those whose positions are clear and consistent.

The fifth step is to repair damage with deeds, not words. If your reputation has been damaged by mistakes, acknowledge them honestly, make amends where you can and then do consistently good work. Avoid arguing publicly, making excuses or creating false impressions. Like Rafiq, you may find that the way you handle a mistake becomes part of your good name.

The sixth step is to recognize the good deeds of others. Machiavelli advised rulers to honour those who are excellent in their work and to reward those who improve it. You can do the same, whatever your position: thank colleagues for good work, mention their contributions to others and give credit generously. People who recognize others' good deeds tend to be respected for it.

A Good Name Is Not an Image

It is important to distinguish between a good name and a good image. A good image can be created quickly, with clever words, attractive presentations, flattering photographs or false reviews. A good name can only be built slowly, through real deeds over time. Machiavelli was interested in both, and he advised rulers to manage their image carefully. This book is interested only in the second.

The reason is practical as well as ethical. An image that does not match reality is fragile. Sooner or later, people who work closely with us discover the truth, as we discussed in Chapter 4. When they do, the damage to our reputation is far greater than if we had never created the false image. A name built on real deeds, on the other hand, grows stronger over time, because each new deed confirms it. Shortcuts such as fake reviews or false claims of experience are not only dishonest. In many places, they may also break rules or laws, and they can destroy a working life that took years to build.

It is also worth recognizing that reputations are not always fair. Sometimes people are judged unfairly because of rumours, prejudice or a single mistake that others will not forget. If this happens to you, it is painful. The best response is usually the slow one: continue to act well, address false rumours calmly and directly where you can and seek support if the unfair treatment becomes bullying or discrimination. Over time, good deeds usually outlast rumours, though not always as quickly as we would like.

Finally, it is worth remembering that a good name is not the goal in itself. It is the natural result of living and working well. A person who does good work, treats others fairly and acts honestly will usually earn a good name over time, even if they never think about it. A person who thinks only about their name, and not about the work and the people behind it, often finds that their name is less secure than they hoped. The surest way to a good reputation is to deserve one.

A Short Exercise: Your Reputation Ledger

This exercise helps you look honestly at the reputation you are building at work. It takes about twenty minutes.

Take a page and divide it into two columns. At the top of the left column, write "What I hope people say about me". At the top of the right column, write "What my deeds show". In the left column, write three to five qualities you would like to be known for at work: for example, reliable, honest, skilled, kind, calm under pressure.

In the right column, next to each quality, write one or two recent deeds that show it. Be specific. "Reliable: finished the order on time even when the supplier was late." "Honest: told my manager about my mistake with the invoice." If you cannot think of a deed for a quality, leave the space empty for now. Empty spaces are not failures. They are places where you can act.

Next, think about the company you keep at work. Write the names of two or three people whose work and character you respect. Are you spending time with them, learning from them and being useful to them? If not, write one way you could.

Finally, look for an opportunity in the coming month to do something that would fill one of the empty spaces in your right column. It does not need to be dramatic. It might be offering to help with a difficult task, speaking up honestly about a problem or doing a piece of work with special care. Write down what you will do, and when.

Precious did this exercise a few months into her business. In the left column, she wrote "careful", "honest", "reliable" and "good at explaining". In the right column, under "careful", she wrote "found the dangerous wiring at Mr Okoro's house". Under "good at explaining", the space was empty. She decided to write a simple one-page guide for her customers on how to spot signs of electrical problems in old homes, and to leave a copy after every job. Customers loved it. Several kept it on their fridges and showed it to their neighbours.

Chapter Summary

In chapter 21 of The Prince, Machiavelli wrote that a ruler gains esteem above all through great deeds and rare examples of ability, through taking clear positions and through honouring and rewarding those who excel in their work. In the Discourses, he described three ways in which a citizen first becomes known: through family, which is weak unless built upon; through the company one keeps; and, most strongly, through a notable action, especially early in one's career, which must then be maintained by continuing to act well (Book 3, chapter 34).

Precious and her empty calendar, Sabine and the company she kept, Rafiq and the bad reviews and Mina and her first notable act all found that a good name is built by deeds, not tricks: consistent care in every task, good actions in ordinary moments, good company, honest positions and the honest repair of mistakes. A good name is not an image. It grows slowly, but it lasts, while false images are fragile and can destroy what took years to build.

In the next chapter, we will turn to one of the hardest moments in any working life, and one that Machiavelli knew from bitter experience: losing your position.