Guard your reputation, build your network

Dear rebels of the future of work,

You know the saying: “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know”...

But: 👉 It’s not just who you know — it’s who knows you...

And that tiny difference? It can change the entire trajectory of your career.

Why your network matters

Sociologist Mark Granovetter found something fascinating: most career opportunities don’t come from close friends, but from weak ties — acquaintances, ex-colleagues, that friend-of-a-friend who mentions your name in the right room.

I am a living proof that this "bridging" is true... if you are curious about this, please ask 💙

And your network is a living system. And in today’s world — it moves fast ⏩

Reputation = is a social currency 🔗

Psychologists call reputation “social currency.” It’s how others decide if they should trust, recommend, or collaborate with you.

The catch? It takes consistency and time to build. But it only takes one significant break to lose ⛓️‍💥

One bad reputation story — if loud enough — can echo further than years of good work.

In a “small world” economy, your name travels faster than your CV 🫵

Professionalism is not about wearing "a suit"

Let’s be clear: professionalism isn’t about fancy titles or even having a polished language.

It’s about signals you send every single day:

• Do you keep your word? 🫡

• Do you follow through when no one’s watching? 🫡

• Do you make others feel safer, smarter, stronger 🫡 — or do you drain trust..?

That’s what people remember. That’s what people talk about when you’re not in the room.

There are two quotes you need to remember... first of all, "you do not need to be the smartest person in the room" and secondly "people do not remember what you said but how you made them feel" - now read that again, will you?

But here’s a question 🤔

If we guard our reputation with our life… Do we risk becoming too curated? Too careful? Too afraid to make mistakes? 🙊

Because networks don’t thrive on perfection. They thrive on authenticity. Just as an employer can't build a strong employer brand on marketing, it is built inside with the people and how the team feels about working there.

• People forgive missteps 💛- but they don’t forgive dishonesty 🙅

• People forgive imperfection 💛 - but they don’t forgive arrogance 🙅

So maybe the real key is: don’t hide to protect your reputation — live your values to strengthen it (be real, be you!)

Final thoughts

Your network opens doors - your reputation keeps them open and together.

Ask yourself this:

• ➡️ What are you known for?

• ➡️ If your name came up in a room of strangers — what three words would follow?

• ➡️ Who in your network would vouch for you not just for what you do… but for who you are?

Guard your reputation. Grow your network. And above all — be the version of you that others want to recommend, remember, and rally behind.

Because in the end… your reputation doesn’t live in your LinkedIn profile. It lives in the minds of others 🧠

👉 Rebels — do we agree or do you think we’re giving it too much weight? Let’s debate 👇