Perhaps My #1 LinkedIn Pet Peeve?
January 20th, 2010 | by Jason Alba |I saw a blog post from Thom Singer a few days ago and it really got under my skin. Thom hit on something that has bothered me since DAY 1.
You can see his post titled: The Misrepresenation of the Power of Social Media - here is his (and my) contention:
5. If you’d like to increase your personal network be sure to link to [name withheld] directly,I have more than 12 million connections, and will gladly share them with you.
Oh. My. Gosh.
The MORE contacts you tell me you have the less value I think you bring me. If you tell me you have a lot of contacts I immediately think:
- Do you have a relationship with ANY of them, or are they just a number for you, helping you to get to a billion?
- Do any of them know who you are, or to them are you just a LinkedIn spammer or LION or some other vague connection.
- Are you communicating with any of them?
- Are any of them relevant to you, your business, or me and my business (since you are insinuating that having those connections will bring value to me).
- Do you have any idea how to process any information from 12 million connections?
- Have you ever done a search, or done anything to tap into the value of those 12 million contacts?
- ________________________________
I mentally shake my head. Worse than thinking “so what” I think “you have no idea what you are doing.”
Sure, I’m assuming here, and I could be totally wrong. But I’m with Thom Singer on this one.
Have the connections, but don’t brag to me about it, or I immediately think you are a noobie.
6 Responses to “Perhaps My #1 LinkedIn Pet Peeve?”
By claire on Jan 20, 2010 | Reply
Hi Jason
Well, you made me smile right at the end. Hopefully no one wants to be a noobie (don’t think they’d be putting that in their LinkedIn profile!)
I’m reading a book at the moment which calls the “inbetweeners” on LinkedIn “cubs” as different to Lions - more connections than your average person, but still focused on the quality and the value of the connection and the relationship. I’ve definitely got a wider than “just my immediate” connections approach AND it still needs to fit with my idea of who I want to be connected to in accordance with my values and personal brand.
Warmly
Claire
By Jason Alba on Jan 20, 2010 | Reply
Claire, let me make a quick clarification - I’m not saying that having a lot of connections, or being a LION, is a pet peeve.
What I’m saying is flaunting it, bragging about it, and including it as a reason why you and I should connect is a pet peeve.
By claire on Jan 20, 2010 | Reply
Hi Jason
Yes, sorry if I made it sound like you were! I guess that is where I was coming from with your personal brand fit. My personal brand fit is such that I wouldn’t even think to brag how many connections I have! That’s why I think it is important on platforms to think about what you put and how it comes across to others.
By John Harper on Jan 20, 2010 | Reply
Jason - I’m in agreement, but I do think that most Lions are worth avoiding. My strategy is to build relationships that can work within the concept of 6 degrees of separation - not to attempt to be connected to everyone on the planet directly.
By Jason Alba on Jan 21, 2010 | Reply
@claire, I agree with you. I didn’t think about the personal brand aspect as much as the ignorance aspect, but you make a good point!
@John, interesting… I would recommend connecting to LIONs who could be relevant to you (for example, if you find a LION in the Bay Area or Silicon Valley, since you are a realtor there, that could be really beneficial to you). Keith Ferrazzi calls this connecting with a Power Connector… there are some differences but enough similarities that I transfer the concept to connecting with LIONs in LinkedIn.
The problem is, how many LIONs have no idea what it means to be a LION? (a lot)
By Steve "Salesologist" Cadley on Jan 21, 2010 | Reply
Jason,
Really like your post and think you make a really good point. While I am a Lion (and understand what is means for me & my core network)& member of Toplinked with lots of connections, (I consider myself a very ‘promiscuous’ networker), I tend not to flaunt it nor do I actually share the number if I can help it.
In large part I don’t share that information because it feels insincere. And so thank you, you put words to why I have hesitancy in sharing the “number”.
And will also add that if you have a large network on LinkedIn and are not leveraging it for the good of your network and/or yourself you are indeed a “noobie”! Although if we are using made up disparaging remarks I like “touch hole” better. It doesn’t mean anything until we put meaning to it but seems a little more impactful.
Happy Selling!