Reputation Management Part 1 - How Cavemen Viewed Reputation Management

In order to get an accurate understanding of Reputation Management I refer you to our ancient ancestors...the cavemen. Let's take a look at Reputation Management through their eyes:

Reputation Management really falls under two categories:

1. Dominate: As far back as history dates the reputation of any class in the animal kingdom was determined by the superior predator, superior power or superior numbers (or any combination thereof). Now this doesn't necessarily mean that this dominate entity was liked, appreciated or admired, but that didn't matter; others listened. As civilization evolved a second class was introduced:

2. Coercion: This comes in many forms from a dark side such as blackmail to a brighter approach, like negotiating based on exchange. "If you do this for me, I will..." falls under this category. I have personally been of the coercive reputation much more than the dominate reputation. Coercive reputation has been smeared to a degree by the used car salesman stereotype or scammer, but when I refer to this reputation strategy I talk about it in the highest sense of ethics and integrity of the word.

Now that we have looked at our cavemen ancestors, let's fast forward a few hundred-thousand years. I used to be an assistant to the Deputy CEO in a large corporation with a few hundred employees. This is where I fine tuned my coercive reputation. I would have to work with the staff from all departments. I could have walked in and dominated them and made them fear me to get them to do what I wanted, instead I decided to be their friend. I would come in and find out what they needed help with, "do them favors", get it taken care of and in turn I could get anyone in any department to get the things done I needed to get done.

These principles and experiences can be studied in greater length to get a more in depth understanding of the history of reputation management. Most people don't think about the fact that they actually do a lot to contribute to their own reputation management (it's not ONLY PR companies that can do this).

If you had any siblings, a mother, father, friend or acquaintances you will have applied this to some degree. If you go to a store and buy something, the fact that you gave that vendor money instead of stealing from him contributed to your reputation in a positive way. If you work at a business and do the duties you have there and contribute to the well being of the company and customers you will have an improved reputation. Now that we have looked at Reputation Management in it's most primitive form, in the next article of this 2 part series I will explain Reputation Management from its highest form...The Way the World Views your Reputation.

Rafferty Pendery
Internet Marketing Consultant

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