As a participant in LinkedIn, I receive, periodically, what can politely be described as blather under the heading of LinkedIn Pulse. Wired magazine, which apparently still exists, had this to say about LinkedIn Pulse:
As a LinkedIn user, the company knows you well. It knows who you are, where you work, and what you do. But it also knows who you know, what industry you’re a part of, and, in some cases, what you care about. Pulse leverages all of this data with the intention of delivering a news digest that’s tailored to your professional interests and needs.
This weeks digest, like the previous weeks, was embarrassing. For me. LinkedIn Pulse believes that I read at the middle school level, possess the social skills of a 2 year old, with no grasp of logic but brimming with a Dale Carnegie like enthusiasm for winning friends and influencing people. Here is a sampling.
First, a piece by Betsy Liu (labeled an influencer) entitled: `Do This, and You’ll Always Be the Most Popular person in the Room’. She offers 3 pieces of advice: mirror people’s words, ask questions and stop looking around the room. I’m surprised she didn’t suggest avoid breaking wind in public.
Second, was from yesterday’s man, Jack Welch and Suzie Welch on why one should fear being promoted. I think they specialize in writing for blocks of wood.
Third, an article by Jeff Haden, a ghost writer. This must explain why most business books written for the airport audience rival Brezhnev’s biography as a soporific. Haden offers 15 ways in which successful people approach life differently. Number 13 is: `They believe they’re in total control…’ Which, oddly, contradicts number 8: `They’re great at self assessment’.
Fourth, from an entrepreneur called James Altschuler, on what to do upon being sacked. Some meaningless anecdotes about what it was like to be fired followed by a list. One item on the list, is to contact people who you a grateful to, tell them so and ask how they are doing. Its important to ask sincerely. Does one not do this before being fired?
Fifth, and last, a piece by one Dr. Travis Bradberry on 6 unusual habits of unusually creative people. The use of the title `Dr.’ is a warning. It was granted by the California School of Professional Psychology. Logic, apparently, is not a requirement for graduation. Number one on the list is wake up early. I think this happens naturally to anyone over 50.
6 comments
July 9, 2015 at 8:09 am
michael webster
This is pretty funny: “I think they specialize in writing for blocks of wood”
There are some decent posts on LinkedIn, usually found in groups.
And certainly some very smart people worth connecting with.
To find better posts, you should search in topics, and bypass Pulse completely.
For example to find all the posts on “food”
Go to: https://www.linkedin.com/topic/food
If you are handy with the site command in google, then searching on the topics subdirectory is better than waiting for Pulse to “inform” you.
July 10, 2015 at 8:08 am
rvohra
Dear Michael
Thank you for the pointer. I did indeed start rummaging around.
rakesh
July 10, 2015 at 7:47 pm
michael webster
You are welcome.
Let me know what you find to be interesting.
July 13, 2015 at 9:37 am
Joel Dan Gershbein
Couldn’t agree more. I can actually feel my I.Q. drop while reading some of these posts. More individual control of the Pulse feed – not what LinkedIn wants us to see – would help matters, prolong waking state, and provoke more thought. That said, I’m waiting for someone to extol the virtues of 2-ply bathroom tissue over 1-ply.
July 13, 2015 at 10:19 pm
rvohra
Dear Joel:
https://today.duke.edu/2013/03/twoply
July 20, 2015 at 4:15 pm
Thomas J
Unfortunate that there is no like button. I couldn’t agree more.