I believe that the idea of 'standing out' is extremely important in a professional sense, where competition for jobs is now more intense than ever.

Nike is a pioneer in endorsements, going as far as developing brands within its brand. The payoff has been huge, but the risk is high when hundreds of millions of dollars are invested in the reputation of fallible individuals.

Reputation will always continue to matter but for reasons that are less financially-based than in the past.

Imagine your organization becoming the target of a class action lawsuit alleging fraudulent marketing practices; or learning that it's the target of an investigation by a state attorney general.

Defending a company's reputation has just gotten harder. A controversial new social media site, Unvarnished.com, allows people to review bosses, colleagues and companies with no restraint.