I have been actively engaging on LinkedIn since 2017 when I started my private coaching practice.
Active engagement, to me, means:
- posting content;
- reading other people’s posts; and
- responding to ideas and shares by other people
For more than 10 years prior, I had had an account, but didn’t do anything on LinkedIn because I didn’t see the purpose and had no motivation to do so!
In this blog, I share three reasons to actively engage on LinkedIn, regardless of your role and professional field, and irrespective of whether you are securely employed or a job seeker. This isn’t about “making more sales” or “growing your connections”, though that’s happened. My reasons can better be described as non-tangible benefits I’ve experienced.
3 benefits to actively engaging on LinkedIn
1. You clarify your thinking
When I engage on LinkedIn, I do so around content and ideas that matter to me and resonate with my interests. These ideas might be sparked by an insightful article, a topic that keeps surfacing, a thought-provoking podcast, or a personal experience. Regardless of the source, the act of writing requires me to clarify my thinking, select the key ideas, and then express that in a way that is understandable to others. I enjoy expressing myself through words and have noticed that this can require courage and vulnerability. I also really enjoy the thinking work that is part of writing.
2. You contribute to other people’s learning
I have a verrrrry strong value around sharing what I’m learning informally (e.g., blog posts, books, podcasts) and through formal events (e.g., webinars, conferences).
I derive deep satisfaction and personal meaning from sharing what I learn. Not because I get thundering applause for doing so…but because I know–from the occasional comment and from being a recipient of other people’s learning–that some things really, really hit home. And that moment of connection or spark of joy that is special.
As a bit of an aside, I was excited to be introduced, many years ago, to a framework that describes my process of learning and sharing: it goes by “Capture, Curate, Create”, and may also be described as “Seek, Sense, Share”. Check out this episode of Teaching in Higher Education if you want to know more. Ha, you see — sharing in action!
3. You build relationships with your connections
Notice that I didn’t write “grow your connections” for #3: Sure, that could be a benefit. But, what’s the point of having a massive network and (only) weak relationships?
I’ve noticed that sharing about content that matters, in a way that is personal and genuine, builds relationships.
Active engagement on LinkedIn helps you develop relationships with people across the globe with whom you have overlapping interests. These relationships are more meaningful and enduring than simply collecting connections.