Moreover, quite a few things have changed since Descartes proclaimed “I think, therefore I am” back in the XVII century. With the advent of user generated content, social media and online networking, it makes much more sense for our generation to think in terms of “we create and share, therefore we are” a statement that I first introduced at a presentation I gave a couple of years ago, which is available on Slideshare.

In this context, our online persona is defined by the relevance of digital stuff that we create and who we share it with. Our reputation is then defined by how what we create is perceived and valued by others anywhere in the world. The fact is that your online reputation is now part of your personal identity and, frankly speaking, that is not yet well understood by many.

Your online reputation can be designed, managed and capitalized in the form of social and professional recognition.  If you happen to be in the business of delivering professional services chances are that the higher your online reputation, the lager the reach of your network, which is key to attracting not just more clients, but also more interesting projects to your firm. Some other people have chosen to monetize their reputation by displaying online advertising under a business model where impressions and clicks translate into ad dollars. Last but not least, online commerce thrives on rating members’ reputations.

Long story short:  those who pay attention to what others say about them in their day-to-day lives would need now to also sense their online persona’s reputation. The tools to do so will be the subject of another post. In the meantime, I will welcome your comments and emails on this subject.

Picture source: Flickr search under creative commons.