Comments on: What value has a reputation?

By: Paul Seaman

Paul Seaman — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 08:55:02 +0000

Toni, I will always favour straightforward thinking over waffle. Mostly, when people cannot express themselves clearly it is because they do not think clearly. Your comments make sense to me.

By: toni muzi falconi

toni muzi falconi — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 06:59:07 +0000

Today I find it acceptable with my clients and students to say that:

identity: is what the organization is and what distinguishes it from other, also similar, organizations. i.e it is the sum of the organizations fundamentals (mission, vision, guiding values and strategy), of its behaviours, including the communicative ones;

image: is what the organization’s stakeholders perceive of her and therefore the sum of her behaviours (including marketing and communicative ones)

reputation: is what the organization’s stakeholders say to peers about her.

trust: the organization does what it says.

Paul, very simple, perhaps too simple….what do you say?

By: Leslie Gaines-Ross

Leslie Gaines-Ross — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:59:07 +0000

One size certainly does not fit all reputations, especially today. Buffett is a master at reputation building and provides smart counsel to everyone, no matter what field we are in. lgr

By: Paul Seaman

Paul Seaman — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 20:21:32 +0000

Heather, your points on reputation are considered and accepted. As for trying to visualize Michael O’Leary’s grandmother, it leads one to wonder what it would be like to meet his whole family at Xmas. My guess is that it would be a hoot.

By: Heather Yaxley

Heather Yaxley — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:30:33 +0000

Reputation is in the eye of the beholder, like image – it is what others think of you. If you like, a brand is a promise (Landor, supposedly), but reputation is whether or not I feel you have kept that promise.

I don’t think that reputation is entirely “what PRs do” – as often they are, like marketing, busy making promises rather than strategically working to ensure the organisation keeps its word.

If you take the CIPR definition – that reputation is what you do, what you say and what others say about you – PR is arguably involved in the second and third (through seeking to influence others) – but it is the first that is really the most important (and again influences the third).

Do we judge you by what you say or what you do? I think that Buffett’s view on reputation is more about ensuring your word is your bond – ie that you are committing to the promise you are making.

I always like to think of reputation in personal terms – Buffett’s words regarding being proud of what you do applies individually, I believe. So don’t do anything you wouldn’t want your grandmother to hear about. Makes you wonder about Michael O’Leary’s grandmother though doesn’t it!!