The Leaning Tower
No matter how far a personal brand reaches, it is always a single misstep away from crashing down. The size of a reputation is not a shield.
What The Leaning Tower Is
The Manifesto tells the story of Goliath, whose reputation was built on being too big to fall. It takes one person with a negative experience to start a rumor, and one unchecked rumor can spread like a disease through everything you have built.
Addressing an issue swiftly and intelligently is most of damage control. The book sets out four responses, each with its own costs, to weigh before acting.
No matter how big you become or how far your personal brand’s fame and influence reaches, you are always a single misstep away from it all crashing down.
Personal Branding: A Manifesto on Fame and Influence, Second Edition, 5.1
The Four Responses
- The Path of AccountabilityRecognize the mistake and work toward a resolution. It stops the spread and admits the wrong; some will respect you more for it.
- DenialDeny the allegation. If you are later proven wrong, the damage is greater than accountability would have cost.
- Resolution Without ResolveYou try to make it right but the other party will not work with you. You can still show the public you tried.
- Complete IgnoranceNeither confirm nor deny. It can limit a rumor's exposure, and it can also read as arrogance.
Where It Comes From
- Source
- Personal Branding: A Manifesto on Fame and Influence, Second Edition (Mashman Publishing, 2025)
- Chapter
- 5. Reputation Management
- Subchapter
- 5.1 Leaning Tower, page 165
- Pillar It Serves
- Reputational Health & Risks
The Full Method Is in the Book
This page is a summary. The subchapter itself goes further, with the reasoning, the stories behind it, and the exercise that closes it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Leaning Tower in personal branding?
Subchapter 5.1 of the Manifesto: the principle that a personal brand of any size is one misstep from falling, and the four ways to respond when something goes wrong.
Which response does MCG recommend?
It depends on the situation, but the Path of Accountability is the one the Manifesto treats with the most respect, provided the behavior actually changes.
Related
Lawyers and Legal Professionals
Clients hire a lawyer, not a letterhead. The attorneys whose names are mentioned in the right circles are the ones who built a personal brand on purpose.
Dealing With Crises
Over a lifetime of building a personal brand, something less than ideal will happen. A crisis is rarely the end; how you respond decides most of the damage.
Who Has Leverage Over You?
To be a public figure is to be watched. As your efforts pay off, the people who hold leverage over you, and what they could do with it, matter more.
Controversy With Purpose
Avoid controversy that concerns your own reputation. External controversy, handled with intent and class, can position you as the expert.
Your name is already being interpreted. The question is who are they, and what are they thinking?
Engagements are accepted by application and seats are limited each quarter. Tell us who you are, what you are building, and the position you intend to hold.