Joystroker,
I disagree totally that making a silly operational error on ONE day will tarnish anyone's reputation.
In my experience, if someone is unlucky enough to make a silly operational error but is usually highly competent, then if said 'big mouth' were to attempt to maliciously spread the unpleasant facts, the rest of the pilot fraternity would quickly tell 'big mouth' to wind his neck in and offer words of support for the poor unfortunate who had a bad day but is usually a good operator.
At the end of the day it's all about personalities. I've heard colleagues complaining about people who I've always got on fine with. Conversely, even when an individual under discussion is almost universally unpopular (although they may still be acknowledged as a good operator), there will always be someone who cannot understand it as they always enjoy flying with that individual.
Reputations are not often forged by single incidents but by how one operates (and behaves) over an entire career.