Thursday, March 17, 2005

APRIL Is Linkedin Month!

What do you need in order to make APRIL your best month ever on Linkedin and in your business/career?

Do you need to have a bigger network or even the biggest network on Linkedin?

Or would your personal situation be better served if you found justone person during April who could help you move your business oryour career forward? To get you on solid ground? Just in time forSPRING!!

Think about it!

Vote on it if you will.

And THEN - let's go on a search TOGETHER – for the entire month of APRIL to help find you "A Powerful Relationship in Linkedin!"

I'm visualizing this as a good exercise for you professionally and as a good exercise in authentic networking for the members of MyLinkedin Power Forum - possibly as a group activity.I think most members here would love to help someone else find "APowerful Relationship In Linkedin"! With that in mind, during the two weeks leading up to April, you should try to find a Linkedin Teammate among the members of MyLinkedin Power Forum. - Or elsewhere, if you choose. :-( -

Remember, Linkedin is a BIG playground. So, having someone help you search can dramatically shorten your search time while increasing your effectiveness in finding what you need. And isn't that the core principle, the heart of networking? Working WITH someone else? Consider having a pal, a friend, a buddy, an accomplice, a partner, a mate, a sibling, an offspring, a parent to help you navigate Linkedin for a month. The month of "A.P.R.I.L."

(For my Linkedin jazz friends, in homage to Dizzy Gillespie andCharlie Parker, I call this concept BEBOP: "Bigger Earnings Based OnPartnering".)

{BTW: Please know that whenever I use the word "power", I never mean to imply power `over" someone but rather power "WITH" someone. I always mean power in that sense – only.}

If anyone would like a poll on what "A Powerful Relationship InLinkedin" should be, please feel free to work with someone to put it up in the poll section on My Linkedin Power Forum.

Thanks, and I look forward to having "A Powerful Relationship InLinkedin" with you in APRIL!

Vincent Wright
Moderator
My Linkedin Power Forum
http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/MyLinkedinPowerForum/
3.18.2004

Tuesday, March 15, 2005

The Art of Humane Rejections/Declinations

As many of you may recall, I recently posted a note to the group titled "Fear And Risk". The sense I was trying to convey in that post was the need, - the absolute urgent need - for us to become "expert askers".

I believe firmly that we need to practice asking much as a musician needs to practice scales before performing.

Yet, with that belief being firmly established in my views about networking, I also think we should applaud those people who know how to structure a humane rejection or declination when we find ourselves asking things prematurely or immaturely.

Thus, I wanted to provide you with an example of a humane rejection I received from someone that had so much of the right stuff in it, that I must admit, it made me smile - not because I love being rejected - but, rather, because there's no indication in the rejection that he was rejecting or devaluing me as a human being.

So, with approval of the gentleman who rejected my request, I want to share with you the note below. Not one note has been changed in it. And bear in mind, I like this rejection not because of its diction or grammatical superiority or any other such linguistic superficiality. I like it because I knew something of the person rejecting me - having seen him give and give and give of himself in another group he and I have belonged to for about 4 or 5 years. And sure enough one of my favorite givers demonstrated that his giving comes from a genuine, an authentically humane place inside. And in addition to the rejection below, he's also done favors for me that he's completely unaware of. I will never fault myself for trying to accelerate a friendship with such an authentically humane man and absolve myself of all shame for my premature attempt.
_____________________________________________________________________
"I will be more than happy to write an endorsement for you. In order to do you justice though, I think it wise to wait a bit so I get to know you and what you are most effective in even better.
To accelerate this, I will read all I can about you in your forum and elsewhere.
Thank you for all of your support and efforts on my behalf. I hope you see value for your investment in the near future."
_____________________________________________________________________

That's the entirety of the rejection.

And though it's short, the sense of of sheer thoughtfulness in it makes me want to roll my sleeves up to befriend my rejector whenever he needs any support I can provide.

I want to be clear that I'm saying this not as a sycophant but rather as someone who appreciates the strength it takes to be a gentleman in an age when being a gentleman seems to be a dying badge of honor.

Thank you!
Vincent Wright
Moderator
3.16.2005

You're Invited to My Linkedin Power Forum!

If you're an online networker or want to learn more about how to be one, I invite you to stop by and introduce yourself to My Linkedin Power Forum!

(http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/MyLinkedinPowerForum/)

The purpose of My Linkedin* Power Forum is to help Linkedin users to power up their networking in order to do business better.

To do business better, we need to communicate better.

To do business better, we need to communicate faster.

To do business better, we need to communicate with more confidence and with less stress.

In his book, “Unlimited Power”, Tony Robbins accurately describes power when he says, “Communication is power.” And the corollary of course is “Power is communication”.

At 2 million users, Linkedin represents a LOT of potential power.

Thus, the main thing we work on in My Linkedin Power Forum is communicating the right thing the right way at the right time to the right people for the right purpose.

We hope to find, collect, and share 100 right ways to help you:
1. Forward requests faster (by having pre-made requests that you can use without sounding so plastic that you alienate the people you need to attract)

2. Decline uncomfortable requests faster (and without losing a relationship that might be of value to you)

3. Build and strengthen your Linkedin network by searching more effectively and by taking good care of those already in your network

4. Use basic checklist points to help you to decide more quickly and with less stress a.)whether or not to forward or b.)whether you should reach out to connect

5. Profit in multiple ways from your networking: financially, intellectually, artistically, etc.

At least once a week, we'll post articles, forms, and links to help empower your Linkedin networking. (Check the files section.)

THANKS - and come join us at "My Linkedin Power Forum"!

http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/MyLinkedinPowerForum/

Linkedin* is a trademark of Linkedin Corporation (www.Linkedin.com)