Gadget Girl, my pal, asked me about Linkedin and other social networks today "How do you like them."  Here is my reply.....

Business networks are positive social networks.  Take Linkedin, for example.  I can meet with a potential client and tell them all kinds of crap about who I know and relationships that I have which provide value to my consulting clients.  The client will need to believe me and trust that what I say is true, or contact a few references that I provide which are obviously only going to say great things.

With Linkedin, they can review all of my links - they do not need to "trust me."  They can trust the crowd or find someone that they already trust who we mutually know, and ask them.

It is also a nice way to back up your address book whereby everyone keeps their contact information and career information up to date for you. 

I also think that it is random fun to see the people who we know in common - for example -  one of my good friends in high school went to Harvard.  At a Harvard mixer in NYC, they met and became friends with the only other Harvard alum that I know who lives in New York.  Neither of them were aware that Marilyn and I were friends with both of them - now they are and we get together as a group in NYC now - and that is random fun.

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