Wednesday, October 31, 2007

LinkedIn and Left Out?

The world, if you believe the mountain of opinion on the internet currently, is about to witness a revolution in the form of social network wars. Facebook, LinkedIn... numerous other bit players whose names are forgettable...who will win?

Never mind the platforms, at the end of the day, the only thing that matters is people. What platform ultimately 'wins' (in the unlikely event that only one is left standing), is merely technology. People are what counts. Without the people, the technology is worthless.

Great networking tools, won't make someone with no social skills, great at networking. Without a genuine liking for the people one networks with, there can be no relationship. Without a relationship, networking is doomed to be nothing more than a name collection hobby. Of course, having a relationship is no guarantee either, that constructive use of the network will happen.

These are extra issues that require a clear understanding of the rules of the engagement, a willingness by all players, and a level of trust to experience and work through issues till the network partners get it right.

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