I received a LinkedIn email from an individual, apparently one of my LinkedIn connections. This person presents himself as a LinkedIn Guru, selling his services to help people master and leverage LinkedIn to the best advantage.
So in receiving this email, I expected to see a master at work, hoping to learn from it.
The email is in it’s entirety except the final signature block. I’ve inserted a few comments in [brackets.]
Dear Cherished 1st Degree Connections. [I’m not sure how cherished I feel when I look at his distribution list. I’m also not sure how happy I am to have those people have my email address. If I were one of those “list” people, there is a ton of good email harvesting in this note.]
I’m taking my own coaching advice and recently refreshed/updated my LinkedIn Skills ‘tapestry’.
I would be very grateful if you would take a moment to give me a professional thumbs up (Endorsement) for any of my ‘Top 10’ Skills.
My Top 10 Skills are: (1) LinkedIn Training (2) LinkedIn Marketing (3) Executive Coaching (4) Coaching (5) Thought Leadership (6) Digital Strategy (7) Personal Branding (8) Writing (9) Communication (10) Social Networking
Many thanks!
Wishing you a stunningly good 2015.
Best,
I casually looked through my endorsements, couldn’t find any from him–but to be fair I didn’t do an exhaustive search. But, it’s really not about quid pro quo. I really don’t endorse people expecting reciprocity, I do it because of my experience with them and their expertise.
I’m also terribly grateful he told me what his top 10 skills were. Since I have no experience of him or knowledge of his capabilities, I wouldn’t know where to start. He’s made that so easy for me, and I’m so glad to blindly accept his word.
I reflected on this note thinking, “This is the way the masters do it…….” Hmmm, maybe that’s what I’m missing. It really is all about me. Best practice really is about leveraging your network to for, “I don’t care about you, please do something for me……..”
I also thought most networking experts talked about personalized, relevant, and impactful communications, but based on his expertise, I guess I was all wrong about that. Guess I have to reconsider doing all the research, using LinkedIn to understand the individual, tailoring an impactful message. Based on his approach, I’ve had it all wrong, for all these years.
I think I get it.
So I immediately sprang into action. I know I won’t be on his next mailing to Cherished 1st Degree Connections, because I’ve disconnected.
For those of you looking to expand your network, effectively leveraging LinkedIn, don’t hesitate contacting me for someone who clearly doesn’t get it and though his example is demonstrating the worst possible practice in using LinkedIn. I’m glad to give you his name so you won’t make the same tragic mistakes as he has.
Hmm, I’m wondering why LinkedIn doesn’t allow a thumbs down like some other sites. It would be an interesting addition if anyone from LinkedIn’s development teams are reading this.
Hi Dave,
Interesting article about Linkedin connections asking for endorsements.
I have a reasonably large network as I’ve been using LI since 2006, but I only know half of the people I’m connected with through some form of meaningful interaction.
Despite this fact I continually receive endorsements from people I have never met.
This led me to examine the quality of the endorsements I have received and predictably, half of them are meaningless, because they are from people I do not know and with whom, I’ve never worked.
Could my experience be shared by others?
Are half of the personal endorsements on LI worthless?
I think the personal written endorsements from former colleagues are far more valuable, but again, it’s not a quid-pro-quo, I don’t expect to trade these things, they are given freely in recognition of observed exceptional service/performance.
Who was it? – very appropriate to disconnect
Best,
Mark
Mark, I have the same bad experience as you in endorsements. I receive endorsements from people I’ve never met. While I’m appreciative of the endorsement, I wonder how they can do this without knowing me. Likewise, I wonder if they expect me to reciprocate.
I think part of it is LinkedIn itself. Often, they bring up a page of people with suggested endorsements. On click and you can endorse many people without even knowing them. So, in a sense they are defeating the purpose of endorsements themselves.
Made me giggle. I also love these “guru” titles…
Also, it reminded me this piece from Carnegie, the one where he critics (well, he destroys it frankly) a self-centered letter he receives from a marketing exec. A letter that is full of “I”, “Me”, etc… Same philosophy and sense of humour. I like it.