The concept of Reputation has a fundamental importance in every aspect of everyone’s social life. The word comes from the Latin Reputare, meaning ‘to consider, take into account’, hence ‘to give importance’.
Reputation is a measure of how much people
gives importance to what we are and what we do,
and how they consider it when making decisions that affect us.
It goes without saying that Reputation is also very important in the professional sphere: in this case, the ‘others’ are your customers, your co-workers, your suppliers, your bank… Well, shortly, the ‘Stake holders’ of your company. It therefore becomes essential to get and maintain the best possible reputation with each stakeholder in your business.
How can you build a ‘Good’ Reputation?
First, it is important to clarify what is meant by ‘Good’:
- While it is certainly intuitive that any negative connotation should be avoided as far as possible, it is equally important that your professional Reputation (and that of your company) be ‘Consistent’ with both your real Capabilities to meet the needs of your interlocutors and the ethical and social Values that guide your actions;
- It is then necessary that your reputation is ‘True’, namely it faithfully reflects your Capabilities and Values: apart from any moral considerations (which in any case have their importance, as we have just seen), building a reputation that is not consistent with what you really are is more difficult (hence costly) and not long-lasting actually;
- In addition, it needs to be ‘Useful’, that is focused on those Capabilities and Values that actually bring value to your interlocutors (especially your customers!). If, for example, you are a lawyer, being recognised as an excellent cook is less important than knowing that you volunteer at a soup kitchen for the homeless: the first aspect makes little difference to your profession, while the second connotes you positively as a person who cares about the needs of others.
Building a good reputation is a bit like building a house: if what you have read so far is the “foundation” of your reputation, there are other elements that your ‘building site’ needs:
- You need a Project and a Plan: be clear about your Capabilities and Values – especially understand which ones are useful to your interlocutors – and define in detail how to convey them, and in how much time;
- You need a Method: your Reputation needs time and consistency to consolidate itself, and the very fact that you systematically look after it helps to improve it, making you perceived as reliable.
- You need Balance: when showing your Capabilities, you need both to be perceived as an ‘expert’ and to speak a comprehensible language, as well as when you describe the Values you believe in, it is important to present them as fixed points (as they are in reality), while showing willingness to dialogue and constructive confrontation.
On the web, this is extremely fast
and reaches all your interlocutors immediately.
You need specific skills and the ability to react quickly:
this is what we have been providing to our customers for 30 years.
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