Day #729 - Social Authority

Foundations of Effect

In the core Social Leadership work I describe how Reputation may confer Social Authority. Indeed, I describe this as probably the most important part of the overall model. Whilst the distinction is artificial, I find it a useful abstraction: ‘Reputation’ is the web of stories told around us, both those that precede us, and remain after we have left, and ‘Social Authority’ is the power that this reputation grants us, through the permission of our Communities.

It is, perhaps, also an encouragement to focus our efforts in building our Social Authority within ourselves, and the direct impact that aligns to our Reputation.

Use your sixty seconds today to consider what Social Authority you carry, and why.

Where is your Reputation earned, through which actions, and what do you do with this power?

At heart, Formal Leadership is founded upon your contract and system, and Social Leadership sits upon your Reputation and Social Authority. Both wrap around each other, but it is the Social that permeates through the system,, and reaches out beyond it, and the Social what aligns to much of what our Organisations seek today.