More than a century before Al Gore invented the Internet, Abraham Lincoln observed: “Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.” Now, that analogy doesn’t make Honest Abe a forefather of corporate reputation management. But it still rings true today, and here’s why. Continue reading
Having trouble making sense of the ever-changing social media landscape? Not sure what is what, and too busy to keep up with it all? If yes, then join me and a large, growing crowd. Here’s a supremely useful infographic, nicely sorted for your convenience. Good piece about it on this blog, too.
The quality of commentary on reputation management today is disappointing. There’s plenty of it, and the sheer volume creates buzz. But sadly, too much of this commentary misses the point.
Much of what is written, tweeted and said about reputation management is superficial, knee-jerk stuff from pundits who are primarily interested in gaining followers and boosting their profile as a talking head. Continue reading
Why did I suggest in my last post that reputation management may have peaked? Not because it fails to deliver corporate value; companies with a disciplined and sustained approach to managing reputation typically enjoy higher share prices, revenues and profitability over time.
But the inconvenient truth is that reputation management initiatives are extremely difficult to start and sustain. They require years of unflinching CEO sponsorship. They are built upon ongoing investment in reputation research. Companies must organize and work in a more joined-up manner to manage reputation. And often, companies must make big changes in how they operate and reward their people to achieve reputation goals. These are high hurdles, and most companies trip up somewhere along the line. Consider these challenges: Continue reading
What’s the outlook for reputation management as a business and management discipline? Will it grow in acceptance and practice? Or will it fade, joining other sound concepts that, for various reasons, were unable to sustain support? My point of view might surprise some of you. Continue reading
I saw a blog post this week posing this question: which corporate function or department should have primary responsibility for managing corporate reputation worldwide? The author walked through several possible options but then declined to answer his own question.
Well, I’m happy to share my point of view because this is a pivotal decision – in fact, it could be the difference between success and failure in any reputation management initiative. Continue reading
Jeremy Lin’s story is fascinating on many levels. But what intrigues me most is how so many basketball experts – coaches, scouts, writers, etc. – failed to spot Lin’s professional potential, especially in a sport where promising talent is scrutinized from junior high school on. How and why did this happen? And are there any lessons here for the business world? Continue reading
