Podcast Episode: Women's Leadership Success with Award-Winning Reputation Expert Lida Citroën

Your reputation isn't just what people say about you when you leave the room—it's the invisible currency that determines your promotions, your earning potential, and your influence as a leader. For women executives, managers, directors, VPs, and C-Suite leaders, mastering reputation management for women isn't optional. It's essential.

In this comprehensive guide from the Women's Leadership Success podcast, host Sabrina Braham, MA, PCC—an expert in executive leadership development and reputation management—interviews award-winning reputation expert Lida Citroën, whose latest book The New Rules of Influence just won the NYC Big Book Award 2025 in the Business Motivational category. Together, they reveal proven strategies to take control of your professional narrative and accelerate your leadership success.

Why Reputation Management for Women Matters More Than Ever in 2025

The leadership landscape for women is shifting—but not fast enough. According to recent McKinsey research, women hold just 29% of C-suite positions, and at the current pace, it would take 48 years to achieve true gender parity in senior leadership. With only 9.2% of Fortune 1000 CEOs being women, standing out isn't just about working harder—it's about strategically managing how you're perceived.

The stakes are high: 75% of female executives experience imposter syndrome at some point in their careers, yet 82% of women believe networking with female leaders will help them advance. Reputation management for women becomes the bridge between your capabilities and your career opportunities.

The Financial Impact of Your Reputation

Research shows that companies with female executives are 30% more likely to outperform their competitors. Yet women continue to face unique challenges in reputation management compared to their male counterparts. Your reputation directly impacts:

Promotion decisions and leadership opportunities

Salary negotiations and earning potential

New business development and client relationships

Board appointments and speaking engagements

Team influence and organizational impact

Industry recognition and thought leadership positioning

Understanding Reputation Management for Women Leaders

What Is Reputation Management for Women?

According to Lida Citroën, author of the award-winning book Control the Narrative: The Executive's Guide to Building, Pivoting and Repairing Your Reputation and the newly released The New Rules of Influence (NYC Big Book Award Winner 2025 - Business Motivational),

"Everyone has a personal brand, by design or default. Your reputation is one of the most critical determinants of your career success."

Lida Citroën

In her latest book, Lida explains that influence isn't about titles, rank, or being loud—it's about showing up authentically, communicating your value, and inspiring others to take action. This is the foundation of effective reputation management for women.

As podcast host Sabrina Braham, an executive coach and leadership development expert, emphasizes: "Reputation management for women requires intentional strategy. You can't afford to leave your professional reputation to chance when you're navigating unique gender-specific challenges in the workplace."

Reputation management for women is the strategic process of:

Monitoring how others perceive you professionally

Influencing public perception through intentional actions

Measuring and tracking your brand effectiveness

Repairing damage when reputation challenges arise

Building systems that protect and enhance your good name

Think of it as the difference between letting popular opinion define you versus strategically driving your reputation toward your leadership goals.

The Unique Challenges Women Face in Reputation Management

Do Women Have More Difficulty with Reputation Management Than Men?

The research is clear: women face distinct barriers in building and maintaining ...