You're already playing the game, whether you like it or not.

You can try to ignore what others say about you or you can choose to learn the rules and discover that the potential benefits are unlimited. Reputation can't be owned or managed – not by an individual, an organization or the media professionals they employ. Instead, it is a gift of trust bestowed upon us by customers, colleagues, fans or friends.

So how is it that VW suffered a huge blow in the wake of emissions scandal, but their cars are still hugely popular? How has Pope Francis begun to rebuild the name of the Catholic Church after a series of damaging scandals?

Through pioneering research and interviews with a host of major figures ranging from Jay Z and LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman to Bernie Madoff and Booker Prize-winner Hilary Mantel, the authors reveal the key mechanisms that make and remake our reputations, providing the essential guide to the most important game in business and in life.