I'm Not for Everyone, and That's Fine

A post of mine got picked up by one of those subreddits dedicated to mocking people who post on LinkedIn.

Honestly, the reaction surprised me. A lot of the comments were supportive, people defending the post, or just saying they appreciated it. There was some snark too, sure, because that's the entire premise of that kind of forum. But it was much more balanced than I expected.

Here's where I landed on it: I know I'm not for everyone. And that's fine.

If I'm going to spend time and energy building something online, I want to do it somewhere real people show up using their real names, not somewhere people get to take shots from behind a username with nothing attached to it.

It takes a certain amount of vulnerability to post things online at all. It takes more when what you're posting is a little silly, or a little personal, or doesn't fit the "polished executive" mold some people expect from a professional platform.

If I'm going to post something with a bit of humor, or something that shows a more human side of me, I want that to land with an audience that's willing to engage in good faith, even if "good faith" sometimes includes some teasing.

LinkedIn, to me, isn't really a social media platform in the traditional sense. It's closer to a place where real people can find other real people, and occasionally turn that into something: a collaboration, an opportunity, a connection that wouldn't have happened otherwise.

That's worth showing up as yourself for, snark and all.

Originally posted on Linkedin. Join the conversation here.

Hi5,

LD 🌶️