Global People Club Etiquette
As a networker for most of the past 30 years, I have seen LinkedIn (and related platforms) go through ups and downs. While I did not like LinkedIn in the early days of my business, it became the best replacement for the business card collection and Rolodex I would have used in the past (and now I sound like my grandmother).
While I don’t make phone calls anymore, and nobody seems to call anyone spontaneously these days, I noticed a shift in my excitement about being on LinkedIn.
It was mainly an algorithm change, but most of the content no longer excites me.
I want to determine whether we can build better relationships on LinkedIn than annoying salespeople or AI-driven mass spammers. If you are looking for a job or want to grow your business, follow our etiquette tips. In the meantime, I am returning to email and in-person networking to grow our client base.
As always, I think our values should guide us in everything we do:
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- Remember that you are talking to a real human being. Humans have feelings and want a connection. Everyone is looking for something (see also my 3F theory). Giving your messages a human touch will be necessary.
- Be Thoughtful with Content: Don’t just share your achievements; engage with others’ posts and contribute meaningful commentary. This builds stronger relationships. When you comment, ensure you have read the article and comment intelligently. Don’t just blurb out something the tool suggests to you.
- Follow Up Respectfully: After connecting with someone or requesting an introduction, always follow up with a thank-you message or check-in, showing appreciation for their time and effort. Don’t just match their efforts; go beyond that. Highlight their support and endorse them.
- Leverage LinkedIn’s Advanced Features: Utilize tools like LinkedIn’s publishing platform, recommendations, and endorsements to enhance your visibility and credibility. If you ask someone to recommend you, offer to send them a draft so they don’t have to do all the thinking work.
- Adhere to EU and Swiss data protection laws: If you live in Europe or Switzerland, comply with the law and don’t spam anyone.
- Refrain from politics and other taboo topics: While I find having an opinion and a worldview essential, you certainly will offend someone if you bring politics and other forbidden topics into the mix. In Switzerland, we don’t publicly share our views on religion, politics, sex, drug consumption, and wealth. I will continue to write about topics that matter to me, such as inclusion and intercultural sensitivity, but I will try to keep it in the professional context.
- Tone down the self-promotion: We generally refrain from boasting about our achievements. We show, don’t tell here. This is a significant cultural difference from the US, so you might need to address it here.
As always, I think our values should guide us in everything we do:
Remember that you are talking to a real human being. Humans have feelings and want a connection. Everyone is looking for something (see also my 3F theory). Giving your messages a human touch will be necessary.
As always, I think our values should guide us in everything we do:
- Remember that you are talking to a real human being. Humans have feelings and want a connection. Everyone is looking for something (see also my 3F-theory). Giving your messages a human touch will be necessary.
- Be Thoughtful with Content: Don’t just share your achievements; engage with others’ posts and contribute meaningful commentary. This builds stronger relationships. When you comment, make sure you have read the article and comment intelligently. Don’t just blurb out whatever the tool suggests.
- Follow Up Respectfully: After connecting with someone or requesting an introduction, always follow up with a thank-you message or check-in, showing appreciation for their time and effort. Don’t just match their efforts; go beyond that. Highlight their support and endorse them.
- Leverage LinkedIn’s Advanced Features: Use tools such as the publishing platform, recommendations, and endorsements to enhance your visibility and credibility. If you ask someone to recommend you, offer to send them a draft so they don’t have to do all the thinking work.
- Adhere to EU and Swiss data protection laws: If you live in Europe or Switzerland, comply with the law and don’t spam anyone.
- Refrain from politics and other taboo topics: While having an opinion and a worldview are essential, you will certainly offend someone if you bring politics or other taboo topics into the mix. In Switzerland, we don’t publicly share our views on religion, politics, sex, drug consumption, and wealth, and we generally refrain from boasting about our achievements. We show, don’t tell here. This is a significant cultural difference from the US, so you might need to “tone your self-marketing” down here.
1 – Stay Active by Commenting
Consistent activity on LinkedIn, such as sharing articles, commenting on posts, and engaging with your network, keeps your profile visible and enhances your professional presence. Use a tracker and set goals for your weekly networking practice.
2 – Optimize Your Profile
Ensure your LinkedIn profile is updated with a professional photo, a compelling headline, and a detailed summary highlighting your achievements and career goals. Use relevant keywords to make your profile discoverable. You have the potential to optimize your “About” section, and you can use ChatGPT to do so.
I hardly ever read an interesting “About” section, but I recently came across an excellent one. By the way, I rewrite my “About” section about once a month. I like nuance, and I tend to get more clarity through writing. Why don’t you give it a go and send me your first draft?
Your Time to Shine: 6 Tips to Create a Strong LinkedIn Profile
3 – Share Relevant and Well-Researched Content
Post regularly about industry trends, your insights, or professional achievements. This demonstrates thought leadership and keeps your network engaged. With “fake news” and AI-written content everywhere, you can stand out in your community by sharing well-researched and balanced information.
Ensure your statements are covered either by long-standing experience or longitudinal studies. Include relevant sources and data in your research. Always edit what Tom Robot (or your AI-buddy) presents to you as facts. Because it seems no one checks the facts anymore.
4 – Comply with Data Protection and General Etiquette
When sending connection requests, always include a personalized note explaining why you want to connect. This demonstrates genuine interest and increases the likelihood that your request will be accepted. It is also important to either be introduced through a common connection or have a reason to connect with someone. If you are just interested in their content, it is more polite to follow first. Never pitch anything in your initial messages.
I’m not convinced sales messages through LinkedIn are a good idea, and I would always vote for building a trusted relationship before selling or consulting anyone. I see it as a common practice done to me, and I don’t like it. Also, with European and Swiss data protection laws being stricter, you might get into trouble if you are aggressively pushing a contact to do something they don’t feel comfortable with. I would also strongly advise against sending your resume via LinkedIn. Don’t do it.
5 – Give Before Asking
Effective LinkedIn networking etiquette includes personalizing connection requests, engaging regularly with contacts, and demonstrating thought leadership through shared content. For second-level contacts, engage with their posts before requesting an introduction through a mutual connection. Also, when you contact someone and ask them for a favor you might want to consider giving them a favor in advance, rather than just “picking their brain” and “stealing their time”.
MORE Resources
Cultural Differences between the USA and German-speaking countries
The Top Three Intercultural Differences between German Speakers and US Americans
The Digital Nomad – Part 1 – Why I’m inspired to grow Global People Transitions Organically https://globalpeopletransitions.com/the-digital-nomad-part-1/
The Digital Nomad – Part 2 – Same Old or New Breed? https://globalpeopletransitions.com/the-digital-nomad-part-2-same-old-or-new-breed/
The Digital Nomad – Part 3 – Improve Your Productivity Kanban-style
https://globalpeopletransitions.com/the-digital-nomad-part-3/
The Digital Nomad – Part 4 – How To Be A Global Digital Coach, Consultant or Trainer – By Nabeha Latif, Digital Media Guru
The Digital Nomad – Part 5 – Which Channels To Use to be a More Effective Global Digital Nomad https://globalpeopletransitions.com/which-channels-to-use-in-order-to-be-a-more-effective-global-digital-nomad/
The 10 Step Plan to a Digital Intercultural Coaching Practice
https://globalpeopletransitions.com/digitalizing-intercultural-coaching-hype-or-hip/
Our Social Media Newbies Series
https://globalpeopletransitions.com/the-social-media-newbie-part-1/
https://globalpeopletransitions.com/the-social-media-newbie-series-part-2/
https://globalpeopletransitions.com/the-social-media-newbie-part-5/
