A résumé gets you in the door. Your reputation is what people remember after you leave.
That’s true whether you’re interviewing for a new position, leading a club through a renovation or managing a difficult conversation with members. Long before someone calls your references, they’ve probably already formed an opinion. Former colleagues have talked. Vendors have shared experiences. Employees have compared notes. In an industry as connected as ours, reputations travel quickly.
Lawrence McFadden, CMC, HoF, one of our contributing writers for Club + Resort Chef, has spent decades working for some of hospitality’s most recognized brands, including The Ritz-Carlton, The Greenbrier, The Waldorf Astoria and the White House. Along the way, he’s come to believe that professional reputation is built gradually and tested constantly.
One experience brought that lesson into sharp focus.
When McFadden interviewed for a position at the White House, he was told an extensive background investigation would follow. The process reached back through every stage of his life, interviewing people who had known him for years.
“It made me reflect on my life, my career and my conduct,” he says.
Most club leaders will never go through a federal background investigation, but they face their own version of one every time they interview for a new role.
Search committees ask about leadership style. They call former supervisors. They speak with peers. Increasingly, they look beyond the résumé to understand how someone leads, communicates and responds when things don’t go according to plan.
McFadden believes one of the most revealing interview questions is, “How would previous colleagues describe you?” It asks candidates to think beyond accomplishments and consider the impression they’ve left on others.
That impression isn’t built through one major decision. It’s built through hundreds of small ones.
How do you leave an organization? How do you speak about a former employer after you’ve moved on? Do you give credit publicly? Do you treat staff with the same respect you show board members? Those moments rarely make headlines, but they shape the way people describe you years later.
Social media has only accelerated that process. A photo, a comment or a frustrated post can reach hundreds of people before you’ve had a chance to reconsider it.
McFadden remembers seeing a group of respected chefs photographed in their judging jackets while holding alcoholic beverages. There was nothing illegal or scandalous about the moment, but it was a reminder that professional identity doesn’t disappear outside working hours.
“We are always on stage,” he says, borrowing a phrase he heard repeatedly during his years at The Ritz-Carlton.
Of course, reputation isn’t about perfection.
McFadden recalls interviewing a candidate who openly discussed his recovery from addiction and the work he had done to rebuild his life. Rather than diminishing his candidacy, the honesty demonstrated accountability and personal growth.
A strong reputation isn’t built by avoiding mistakes. It’s built by taking responsibility for them.
Club leaders spend a great deal of time protecting the reputation of their organizations. McFadden’s reminder is that every interaction, every decision and every relationship shapes our own as well.
