There are 5 people I would put my reputation on the line for.

You may think that this is extreme, because making the introduction seems so easy, all you need to do is to say “let me make a quick intro to see if there’s a fit.”

If you have never worked with the person in a professional capacity or had real experience of their work ethic and conduct, you should never attempt to make such an introduction.

What you need to realize is that if the person you recommended is selected, and things go awry, human nature will instantly isolate you as the origin of the problem. After all, it was you who said this person could be a good fit, right? If you hadn’t made such a recommendation and left them to their own devices to find someone to handle the matter, they would only have themselves to blame. 

This is why I am extremely careful with who I would put my reputation behind, and I can tell you with absolute confidence that the people I would recommend is a total of 5, I can literally count them on one hand. 

WHAT ARE MY CRITERIA FOR THIS SELECT GROUP?

1. I have to know them on a personal basis and have seen them in action in a professional manner. The time required is more than 4 years before I would make a recommendation. The longest I’ve known one of these individuals is 15 years.

2. I know, first hand, that they take their work and themselves seriously — they don’t take shortcuts.

3. They hold themselves to the same standards as I do. This is important because this means the person or company they recommend meets their standards. Otherwise, if someone randomly told you “oh this is a great dentist, restaurant, person, etc” how would you know what their standard of ‘good’ is? Does it mean the dentist is friendly and approachable? Does it mean the dentist was able to alleviate their toothache immediately? Those who know you and your standards can more accurately make a recommendation to suit your needs and meet your standards.

As I am writing this, I realize that the bottom line comes to whether you fully understand the requirements and standards of the person or company you are making a recommendation to — do you know what they are really looking for? The other important takeaway is to know that once you make the recommendation, the performance of such a company and/or person becomes a reflection of you; it is also how your connection will perceive you from now on.

So, while it may seem like a short time, off-handed comment to make in the present, know that the repercussions of these actions will extend into all eternity. This sounds scary but is 100% true. Once you have had a bad experience with a person, place, or thing, how hard is it for you to change your mind about your experience? How many people do you tell about the negative experience? I’ll give you a minute to try to come up with a list of things, or even just one thing, that you have definitively changed your mind on.

None? Nada? Nothing?

Great. I think now we have firmly established in your mind just how hard it is to change your perception of anything once it’s been set.

The next time you want to start a sentence with “l would recommend...” think long and hard about how it would pan out days, weeks, months, and years from now. Your reputation is important, so guard it with your life.