David WallerThe Reputation Game: The Art of Changing How People See You

Your reputation and that of your company are more valuable than money. We are all playing with both of these reputations, so knowing how the game works – its rules and winning strategies are essential.The reason I have always noted the qualifications of the authors of the books I review, is because there are so many books available of widely varying quality. If the issue is critical to business success, the author’s gravitas is in that area is essential. The authors of The Reputation Game tick all the boxes: Waller wrote for the Financial Times, and currently consults to companies and governments on reputational issues. Younger is the founder director of Oxford University’s Centre for Corporate Reputation.Reputation is different from marketing, PR, branding, status or image. What others say about us will affect our ability to achieve, even if what they say is nothing more than gossip. You will need to clarify the kind of reputation you want, for doing what, and with whom.Goldman Sachs, for example, is simultaneously reviled and revered. The reason for this contradiction lies in the simple fact that we all have multiple reputations, each of them for something, with someone. Goldman’s success is built on the quality of their (generously rewarded) people, and for doing better for their clients than the competition. The bank will only become concerned with criticism from politicians and regulators, which might have implications for its business.“There are three ‘dice’ in the reputation game,” the authors explain, “behaviours, networks and narratives.”Your behaviour, and that of your company, send signals about what others can expect from you. But behaviour and reputation are always intermediated by perception.The Mafia’s reputation for violence forced customers to fall into line, and violent families accumulated significantly more wealth and territory than the peaceful ones. However, over time the mob’s need to carry out the beatings, arson attacks and even murders necessary to maintain their reputation, declined. The perception matters enough.The Special Air Service (SAS) is perceived to be one of the most effective fighting forces in the world. This small team of ruthless, highly trained soldiers could be more effective than an entire regiment. Their reputation has material value. It attracts the very best soldiers in the British Army, and acts as a valuable psychological deterrent for the enemy.There are two parts to the behaviour component of reputation. There is your ‘capability’ reputation that comes from the perception of how likely you are to do your job effectively, and your ‘character’ reputation – your morals and social qualities.It is too simplistic to assert that “it takes 20 years to build a reputation, and 5 minutes to destroy it.” In fact, the two dimensions of behaviour reputation - capability and character - have very different dynamics when it comes to loss or recovery.“Capability reputations are extremely sticky, while character reputations are much more volatile,” the authors explain.Rolls-Royce’s decades-long reputation for manufacturing a reliable, superior aircraft engine, remains even after a Qantas plane’s engine exploded shortly after take-off in 2010. (No casualties.) Airlines, passengers and investors gave Rolls Royce the benefit of the doubt.One’s character reputation, by contrast, is much more fragile. A reputation for acting honourably and fairly, can be annihilated in moments.The second component in the reputation game is “network.” There are two types of networks, ‘closed’ and ‘open’.A network is ‘closed’ when all the people or entities are connected to each other. Robert knows Jessica well and Jessica knows Robert well, and Robert’s friends also know Jessica’s friends. An open network is where two people or organizations are tied, but their network of contacts are not connected to each other.If your behaviour is the message, your network is the method of travel. Messages moves fastest in closed networks.In the past, when we lived in closed networks (small towns,) an individual’s creditworthiness did not have to be formalized. Today, the networked information that we use in credit scores may be based on sophisticated mechanisms, but at their core is information, shared through closed networks.The French philosopher Blaise Pascal offered an interesting insight. “We do not worry about being respected in towns through which we pass. But if we are going to remain in one for a certain time, we do worry. How long does this time have to be?”Every minute of every day, Facebook users will share 2.5 million pieces of content, Twitter users will tweet 300,000 times, and 220,000 new photos will be posted to Instagram. This requires a reconsideration of the meaning of closed and open networks.Capability and character narratives are the two mechanisms through which legitimacy is built. The size of the gap between what we say and what we do, determines the level of our authenticity.People and organizations are being held to increasingly high standards of behaviour. Consider only the damage to many individuals’ and corporations’ reputations caused by the Panama Papers revelations, published in early 2016. Many carefully crafted reputations were revealed as inauthentic.Apple has had several technical gaffes with little or no damage to their reputation. This is because their narrative focuses on Apple’s ease of use, combined with beautiful design, rather than technological prowess.We all have multiple reputations which we cannot easily control, because reputation is what other people are saying about us. However, learning how to use these three elements, behaviour, networks and narratives to our advantage, will be valuable in managing this mercurial forceReadability Light --+-- SeriousInsights High -+--- LowPractical High --+-- Low*Ian Mann of Gateways consults internationally on leadership and strategy, and is the author of the recently released ‘Executive Update.

Not the book to take with you to a deserted island, as you’ll be alone there and your reputation upon rescue will be “the one who survived” (much like Harry Potter but this analogy has gone too far by now).Pretty much the book to take with you everywhere else. I cannot praise it enough. The examples are on point but never dull or expected, the ideas are gripping and memorable, and there’s literally no reason to keep on reading this review instead of reading the book itself.Why are you still here?

I received this book through my paid subscription to "Leaderbox" by Michael Hyatt. I read it in an afternoon. Highly readable. The topic is important and timely.Heads up for American readers: This book is filled with references and stories from the UK and Europe that I'm simply not familiar with and many of the illustrations were less accessible for me. That's why I'm rating it with 3 stars.

THE REPUTATION GAME, is brilliant. It is a nonfiction unicorn. Rupert Younger and David Waller combine fun, trivia, history, and deep understanding of the world of social connectedness.. THE REPUTATION GAME, challenged me to examine myself and my place in the world. Social contentedness is the topic on everyone's minds.Terry Straus

The Reputation Game was recommended by a friend. If you're into Sales or studying Sales / Marketing ... BUY IT!

The Reputation Game is a compelling read that has you nodding along in agreement, turning the page for another insight and then pausing to take in the academic research. Written by a former Financial Times journalist and PR guru David Waller and a Business School academic Rupert Younger, the blend of the journalism and the academic gives you two books beautifully blended into one.I find you become engrossed for hours a at time - it has that ‘can’t put it down’ quality, but also as it skips through so many examples and references that any of these can form a satisfying quick read making it good not only for a commute, but to flick through between stops on the underground.I know a dozen people who should have a copy, one who probably wishes he had written it. On the one hand I can send them this review, on the other I might just buy them copies and tell them why they should read it and how it well both be a pleasure to read and of value to them either because they have a ‘reputation’ to maintain, build or rejuvenate, or because they are in the business of doing this for others, both individuals and organisations.Amongst many, often interviewed for the book, in relation to ‘reputation’, you will gain insights into:Roman AbramovichLance ArmstrongAbu Omar al-BaghdadiMichel BarnierDavid and Victoria BeckhamBenedict XVI aka the PopeJeff BezosTony BlairSepp BlatterUsain BoltSusan BoyleRichard Branson aka Sir RichardGordon BrownWarren BuffettGeorge W BushCaligula aka The EmperorDavid CameronJimmy CarterCharles Windsor aka the Prince of WalesWinston ChurchillNick CleggBill and Hillary ClintonJeremy CorbynRobert Downey JnrJames Dyson aka Sir JamesElizabeth Windsor aka The QueenRoger FedererNiall FergusonMargaret HodgeSteve JobsBoris JohnsonTom Jones aka Sir TomBernie Madoff - interviewed in person by the authors.Theresa MayMax MosleyHoratio Nelson aka Admiral LordBarack Obama aka PresidentJohn ProfumoVladimir Putin aka PresidentCecil RhodesSaddam HusseinMaria SharapovaJoseph StalinIvan the TerribleMargaret ThatcherDonald TrumpMark ZuckerbergAnd when it comes to business and organisational reputation you will learn about:AdidasAmnesty InternationalBen & Jerry’s Ice CreamThe Bhopal DisasterThe British ArmyBuzzfeedCazenoveThe Catholic ChurchCBSBPThe Deepwater Horizon CrisisDomino’s PizzaThe EUExxonFacebookFIFAGlaxoSmithKlineGoldman SachsGoogleInnocent DrinksISThe London School of EconomicsNestléPhilip Morris InternationalRolls-RoyceRowntreeRBSUnilverUnion CarbideUnited AirlinesVWWongaZimbabweAnd in doing so you will learn about:Capability reputation and character reputation and a whole lot more. Some of which will make you smile, much of which you can apply.

It seems ironic to give this book five stars but, in a time of recommendation algorithms, you need a human to say that this book will teach you that the world is becoming an algorithm. Trust is important, and so books like this need to explain why trust is important. Just as man needed to know who was good at starting fires and slaying boar, so today man needs to know that reputation is a game.

Well written and thought provoking

Ras