Everyday in life we make hundreds of exchanges if not more. We do that in the marketplace when we purchase things but also, and more of them, we make in our daily interactions with family, coworkers, and acquaintances. Most of these interactions, like our purchases work on a credit system. You do something for me and I do something for you, including something as simple as a smile. However, unlike the monetary credit card the social credit card is completely unaccountable, except by way of your reputation. But make no mistake, when you take you must return. Not only because you want your reputation protected but also because otherwise you are what I might call a low life. You go to a restaurant and buy the most expensive steak when it is a group payment or someone else is paying will not go unnoticed. Like wise, don't say he wants to shower me with gifts or dinners, then that is his business. There is an unspoken expectation that you are agreeing to give him what he is gunning for. If in your heart you do not agree then you must not accept the gift. Protect your social credit score just like you protect your FICO score. At work, make sure that the relationship you are developing with your employees and co-workers are clear. You must not use your social credit to make them do monetary work and then turn your back on them saying you have no control over the monetary outcomes. They will feel cheated. Likewise, protect yourself from being cheated by a person who gets you to do things at work by developing a relationship but is not sincere about it professionally - like a person who lets you go or does not give you the raise you deserve for what you do. Professional is professional and personal is personal. Same way make sure what expectations are being set by your behavior in the minds of others. If you fail to deliver upon them then you are creating negativity. Recognize that you are setting expectation every time you transact with others. Don't surprise people months or years down the line. While you may not be responsible for what people do and think you are responsible for not managing the outcome gone bad.
But it is not just about your reputation in the external world it is also about your reputation in the internal world. How do you feel about yourself when you let someone down or for creating distaste. We have capacity to create more than we consume. All of us do. Only animals live by taking. We live by giving that is why our world is prosperous. Don't demean yourself by taking more than you are giving. Emotions are social currency - don't create deficits for self and others. That attitude will take you a long way to prosperity and greater success because it will build you up. That is just my opinion though. There is no substantiation that I can offer to this claim. You can take it on face value or not.