Here are the facts: I have 215 connections, 15,000 2nd degree connections and 1.6 million 3rd degree connections. Here is the problem: LinkedIn provides no efficient way to slice and dice the information into a meaningful format. So we’re all building large networks with millions of people in them but we have no easy way […]
SMS Blog Slide
Book Update
While I hoped to have everything completed by April 30th, the editing process is taking longer than expected. Part of it is that I am blind when I read it. I’ve looked at every page so many times that the obvious errors don’t even register. Someone else has graciously taken over the editing process and […]
LinkedOut
Last Friday was the North Fulton Chamber expo and as the volunteer coordinator, about 80% of my time was spent doing that as opposed to actually working. I’m catching up so I will take the short cut of posting the following LinkedOut cartoons instead of an actual post. Hope you enjoy. ***If you cant read the cartoon text, […]
200 Connections…More Width than Depth?
At some point in the next week I will pass 200 connections. There was a time when I couldn’t imagine having more than 100 connections much less 200. Many of these people I know and some are people that I crossed paths with at the chamber and would like to get to know.
The separation is simply a matter of have I sat down with each person for an hour or not. LinkedIn makes it so easy to connect that we often mistake the number of connections we have (the width) with having an effective network (the depth). It’s important to strive for both, but it will take more work to create depth in your relationships.
Guy’s Jobs Story
This morning I received an email from Guy Havelick with a tale of two workers who were laid off. Here’s part of his email:
I work for a large corporation. They too often play the musical chairs game with far too few chairs. Recently two good friends, excellent contributors and employees, were caught when the music stopped. One had a great network and found another job immediately. The second was not properly networked and is still struggling to start his own business.
As a good employee, as secure as I can be working for a big company, how can I provide myself a safety net? (One that I would prefer not to be forced to use.) LinkedIn seems like the best social networking tool out there. How can I use LinkedIn to be that safety net? What’s the best way to sell my reputation when I’m not yet in a position to be bought?
Book Update
In the last couple of weeks I have not been as active posting online. I’ve been knee deep into writing my LinkedIn book, “Got LinkedIn: From Clueless to Connected in 6 Days”.
Currently I have finished the rough draft and it sits right at 100 pages. With revisions and the addition of more stories it may get as high as 120 pages. I hope to have the final version completed by the 29th which for those of you in the Atlanta area, is the Lunch and Learn date at the North Fulton chamber where I will be part of a panel discussing social media.