Adventures in Networking!: LinkedIn and Twitter breakup is GREAT for networking strategy

Sunday, July 8, 2012

LinkedIn and Twitter breakup is GREAT for networking strategy

It's been a thoughtful few days for me....

I'm neck deep in one of the most popular business books in North America, I watched the video at the end of this post which has me very thoughtful and last week LinkedIn and Twitter broke up.

I'm ecstatic.

I've been saying for a while now that people should disconnect their twitter and LinkedIn accounts because although they are both critical voices in a "business media" strategy ( I've no interest in social media ) these are voices that should be different. Leave it a great peer of mine Promod Sharma to have one of the best business discussions on the net about the practical applications of the split. Read his post here.

Recently, while defending my useless brother-in-law my Mother mentioned something her Mother told her... "every finger on the hand is different, all are important and serve a purpose". Old and wise words indeed.

So how do are these voices different? Let's look at that hand shall we? In 2012, your thumb is the communications dept: because that's how Blackberry talks and how we tweet quickly. Like LinkedIn, the index finger is the leader, the strategic one; it tells by pointing direction, it asks by scratching the head. The middle finger, often used for the expression of profanity is the social one, nuff said. The third or 'ring' finger is what I call the iFinger- eating messy foods it's the one kept clean to operate iphones, ipads and other devices. And lastly, because this is a Canadian blog and Planned Giving professionals do drink a lot of tea the pinky needs to always stand at the ready should the need arise...

Fact is we need to think more strategically about the business use of LinkedIn and Twitter. We need a game plan says George Bradt in Forbes, he cowrote one of my favourite books I recommend to peers on how to make a full spectrum plan for success that includes face to face networking and online connecting.

LinkedIn is the business powerhouse, classic thoughtful style like this great R&B song I love, Knock on Wood. But! Too many business professionals write off Twitter. Sure it's a little flashy, can be seen as gaudy but it drives more online referrals faster. Much like clients find us because of new, flashy ideas, I had never heard of the original song because being born in the 1970's I only know it's flashy, #1 Platinum hit reincarnation by Amii Stewart. The two can work together to drive business but we need to get back to WHY what we do has value.

We need to MAKE time to think.

So many in my network are head over heels for this guy Simon Sinek. They brought him to speak at Canada's largest fundraising conference --- he shared great insight and rocked it....so enjoy the talk below.

I hope it will leave you as thoughtful as it did me....after all it IS the summer people. Years gone by we would slow down and use this time to think. Thinking and strategy ARE important assets in business right?!