Five Sure Fire Ways To Ruin Your Reputation On LinkedIn

Most of you reading this have found me, and PrintMediaCentr, through a connection of some sort on LinkedIn. Hopefully we are directly connected or you are in my Print Production Professionals Group. If not, you can rectify that after this post!

As a group manager I walk a diplomatic fine line. I sometimes stay neutral on certain subjects where I may have a stronger opinion. Sometimes I stay out of a topic all together because history has proven it will get heated; watching and moderating privately is the best approach.

With a global membership exceeding 54,000 people, it results in a LOT of tongue biting, head shaking, eye rolling, and literally saying out-loud “what is this person thinking?” … And it can’t be just me having this reaction! I am no different than any of you except I have control of the delete button.

So here are five sure fire ways to ruin your reputation on LinkedIn… in no particular order:

Make a rude comment. I have had some doozies thrown my way. From criticizing my photo and personal appearance, to questioning if I really work in the print industry, sometimes it does become hard not to respond, or respond and remain diplomatic – everyone is entitled to their opinion right?  But whether you started it, or get sucked into replying in a nasty manner, it’s not going to end up being good for you. Contact the group manager and alert them to the issue. Always take the high road.

Be a taker. Social media is about giving – at least at first. Giving establishes trust, opens the door for a relationship, and the possibility for a partnership. If you spend your time in groups, or updating your status by dumping links, self-promoting and offering discounts, you are a tickertape – not a person. If you spend that same time commenting on discussions relevant to your expertise and letting people see who you are everyday, you just might develop an audience who would then be interested in your links, reading your blog, checking out your website, and hearing about your discounts. Cultivate your circles.

Get Political. There are hot button topics out there, and some directly affect all of us such as unemployment and health care. But keep in mind that political rants can be divisive, and while you may categorize your feelings as passionate, others may perceive them as “crazy person, table for one.” Unless the group has been created for sharing political beliefs, keep yours along with anything related to religion where they belong… your personal Facebook page! Know your constituents.

In-Mail Bomb. We are connected, but that doesn’t mean that I can offer you a recommendation for your work, or that I am interested in hearing about your products and services through my LinkedIn inbox. However, it’s the emails that are deceitful – such as the subject being RE: our conversation in the group, or RE: anything that implies you are responding to, and not initiating a conversation, that will do you in. LinkedIn has now provided a “report spam” button, and we aren’t afraid to use it! Be a ham and you’ll be SPAM!

Crafty Conversations. There are very smart people on LinkedIn who can smell a “tactic” a mile away. Participating in groups and sharing your knowledge and experience is one thing, starting a discussion so you can blatantly share your knowledge and expertise is another. Self-serving topics may give you a little back and forth conversation, but it’s all the people not commenting you should be concerned about. In my group, the two most common items “flagged as inappropriate” by members are nasty comments, and solicitations of any sort, including rhetorical topics. Tricks are for kids.

LinkedIn is a reputation network and you are in control of yours at all times. It takes time to build a solid foundation and one inappropriate action can tear it all down. Who you are, especially on this platform, is just as important as what you know.