In addition to thinking more instrumentally about entrepreneurial networks (and your position in them), the issue then becomes the social skills you have to build meaningful relationships – both online and offline. And this isn’t just about personality. Sure, if you have a bit of charisma it might be less awkward in social settings.
However, Professor of Psychology, Robert Cialdini has written extensively on the universal laws of persuasion, assembling much data to unpack the science of persuasion. He has identified principles of persuasion that hold across social settings, industries and cultures – such as reciprocity, commitment, social proof, liking, authority and scarcity. Importantly, these skills can be learnt and applied by anyone, regardless of personality.
So understanding the sociological and psychological underpinnings of networks and (some) social skills are helpful in navigating the reputation economy. But perhaps, the implications of working and succeeding in the reputation economy need to back grounded against bigger questions: Who owns our online reputation? How will we, as individuals and organisations, create, curate, manage and recreate our online reputations and digital history? What start ups will emerge offering such services? Who will you trust? What happens when two years of your online activity is stored and captured?
These concerns don’t emanate only from observing the likes of new start-ups like Relationship Science that is building profiles and dossiers, but the actions of our own government. According to Sir Tim Berners-Lee, such storing and recording of data is the equivalent of dynamite.
While at the moment it may seem novel to create reputation measures and to ask for these in job applications, the data that can be amassed – by a range of parties – positions the reputation economy at a centre of issues such as identity, privacy, security and ultimately freedom (to change).
Be alert and possibly alarmed at what will be required to be successful in the (digital and historically archived) reputation economy.
Danielle Logue is a Lecturer in Strategy & Innovation at University of Technology, Sydney. This article first appeared on The Conversation.
