What is the point of the Network count in our profile?
Soha KarjawallySoftware development manager / Program Manager| Phoenix - USAMontréal, Quebec, Canada
I see many people having thousands of connections in this community. However, I don't understand the utility of it?
if we have access to the posts and can ask whatever we want, what's the point? and if I refuse to connect with someone, is it "bad"? then why do we have to keep our network growing blindly?
Maybe it is clear for others, but though that still not the case for me :)
Soha KarjawallySoftware development manager / Program Manager| Phoenix - USAMontréal, Quebec, Canada
oups, maybe I should have posted in the Community area ... Saving Changes...
Eric SimmsSenior Program ManagerBaltimore, Maryland, United States
Hello Soha,
Excellent question! I've asked myself this many times. Here are my leading theories:
1. Some people believe if they can gather enough people into their network great opportunities will magically come their way.
2. Some people are lazy, and have managed to convince themselves that electronic connections without meaningful interaction equates to having an effective business network.
2. Some people think a large network makes them seem more professional or more popular (rather like those kids in high school who gathered as many yearbook signatures as they could from anyone willing to sign).
I believe a network should consist of people who can mutually benefit one another; that means you must be selective when it comes to who you should include in your network, and declining invitations is a natural part of that. A network must also be cultivated, which means taking time to talk to members to determine how you can help one another. That simply can’t be done in a massive network. Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
I connect only to people that have the experience folder completed. But in the actual schema it has low value due to I can not recived a message when some of those people comment into a discussion. So, the reason I connect is becuase most of the times when people connect with me we start a message exchange about topics that helped me to improve myself into a topic. What I never do is using the connections for commercial reasons. If somebody connect with me because of that I remove the connection inmediatelly. Saving Changes...
Unlike LinkedIn where adding a connection imposes some overhead (e.g. their updates in your feed unless you explicitly choose to not follow them), with this community, it has no ongoing impacts.
I am quite judicious about adding LinkedIn contacts, but accept all connections here just to get rid of the annoying red notification number over my avatar :-)
Different people have different reasons, So may be I will not comment for why some people try to build connection with many and why some not. But for me I am mostly connected to my chapter members.
Regarding accepting a request it is again your choice, it is not about feeling good or bad about it. I have few request where I rejected first, still you get request again and as Kiron mentioned I accepted to avoid the red notification. Saving Changes...
Amrapali AmrapaliField Marketing Manager| Keysight TechnologiesHounslow, United Kingdom
For the first 50 connections i accepted and sent the connection because i wanted to earn the badge, late on i decided on connecting with people who are featured/ post frequently/ are in the same industry/ are in the same region. Saving Changes...
Product Operations Program ManagerBarcelona, Cataluña, Spain
I have a confession to make. I used to spend some time connecting with hundreds of peers in order to:
1. Expand the network regardless of the profile "look"
2. Push the influence score upwards
A while back I realised about the non-sense and stopped. Instead, I am building a high quality network of contacts on LinkedIn - aligned with my intrerests and career goals.
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1 reply by Mayte Mata Sivera
Oct 17, 2023 12:59 PM
Mayte Mata Sivera
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Yeah...those times that we had the photo in the famous "hall of fame"... LOL
Saving Changes...
Thomas WalentaGlobal Project Economy ExpertHackenheim, Germany
Soha,
from a designer view it is a gamification instrument to trigger a feeling of accomplishment, like with status point or badges or facebook likes. It also helps build your own self esteem and status perception.
I personally accept everyone here, other than in LinkedIn or FB, since I assume a professional interest and my purpose is to have a professional network. Saving Changes...
Soha KarjawallySoftware development manager / Program Manager| Phoenix - USAMontréal, Quebec, Canada
Thanks, everyone for your inputs!
I will add my own experience, I request to add someone to my network because I have been following his participation and that professionally I would appreciate having her/him in my network, and so I will assume the same from any requester.
on the other side, as some of you mentioned I don't like the notification on my profile showing up every time I log in.
Anyways, I honestly hope that if people are requesting adding others, they do not do it blindly.
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1 reply by Darren Paladino
Nov 09, 2020 8:00 AM
Darren Paladino
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Soha, I think many here practice this approach along with a note saying if someone's ideas and writing contributed to their study of a topic.
Watch out for the "auto connect" on the PMI chapter as the numbers get out of control!
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