BRONWYN NORTJE: Keep your reputation intact by following five simple principles
Don’t tell lies in a world of diminishing trust and apologise sincerely when you do mess up
In a world of fake news and social media mobs, it is more important than ever to remain credible. Credibility lies at the heart of reputation, and in a world where the public is finding it increasingly difficult to know who to trust, your reputation — whether personally or professionally — is a short cut for people who want to be informed but don’t have the time to fact-check everything they read or hear. How do you or your business go about building a solid reputation when it seems as though the slightest mistake can trigger a disproportionate and damaging wave of public outcry? The answer is fairly simple, but it requires time, patience and adherence to five basic rules: Be consistent. If you apply the same rules and principles to all of your actions and statements, you’ll find that people inherently trust you. If you are a conservative organisation, this doesn’t mean promoting or supporting left-leaning issues or causes, it simply means giving them fair play when these issues ari...
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