http://www.mpdailyfix.com/how-to-avoid-the-perils-of-blended-networks/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=how-to-avoid-the-perils-of-blended-networks Opinions. Commentary. News. Sun, 12 Feb 2012 02:23:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/how-to-avoid-the-perils-of-blended-networks/comment-page-1/#comment-39950 Michael Hiles Mon, 23 Feb 2009 22:13:43 +0000 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/how-to-avoid-the-perils-of-blended-networks/#comment-39950 Offline principles should apply to online activity. If you're comfortable telling your co-workers that you went on a bender and slept with the neighbor's wife, then the consequences will be the same whether you use the internet to broadcast your behavior, or if you blab it to a group around the water fountain. Web 1.0 was all about anonymity. This gave rise to bad behavior and credibility issues - are you going to take business advice from MOONDOG162? Web 2 is about credibility and transparancy. It's simply an extension of your everyday life and activity - complete with consequences. Just remember, you can't scrub out stupid. Offline principles should apply to online activity.
If you’re comfortable telling your co-workers that you went on a bender and slept with the neighbor’s wife, then the consequences will be the same whether you use the internet to broadcast your behavior, or if you blab it to a group around the water fountain.
Web 1.0 was all about anonymity. This gave rise to bad behavior and credibility issues – are you going to take business advice from MOONDOG162?
Web 2 is about credibility and transparancy. It’s simply an extension of your everyday life and activity – complete with consequences.
Just remember, you can’t scrub out stupid.

]]> http://www.mpdailyfix.com/how-to-avoid-the-perils-of-blended-networks/comment-page-1/#comment-39949 Cam Beck Mon, 23 Feb 2009 14:23:02 +0000 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/how-to-avoid-the-perils-of-blended-networks/#comment-39949 "I always go back to the lesson I was taught as a child: never discuss religion or politics in public." I was taught that. And for a good while, I even followed it. Then they became my two favorite subjects. I think it's possible to maintain respect and decorum while discussing just about any topic, but it's a skill that one must learn. “I always go back to the lesson I was taught as a child: never discuss religion or politics in public.”
I was taught that. And for a good while, I even followed it. Then they became my two favorite subjects. I think it’s possible to maintain respect and decorum while discussing just about any topic, but it’s a skill that one must learn.

]]> http://www.mpdailyfix.com/how-to-avoid-the-perils-of-blended-networks/comment-page-1/#comment-39948 Reasonable Robinson Sun, 22 Feb 2009 17:33:05 +0000 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/how-to-avoid-the-perils-of-blended-networks/#comment-39948 Park the technology. Forget the uniqueness of the medium. Stop hand wringing about how complex and difficult it is to navigate the interconnected world . We just need to apply a bit of social common sense. Just because we can't be seen when we type doesn't mean we have are being private. The same social communication rules apply wether we are face to face, within listening distance, writing a letter or posting on-line. Wake up to the illusion that work and home life are separate too. The split is all in the mind. People need to be more circumspect with their opinions. Years ago I wouldn't have dreamt about commiting an opinion to paper if there was a risk that it might be read by someone it wasn't intended for. You reap what you comment and you'd be gullible to think otherwise. Park the technology. Forget the uniqueness of the medium. Stop hand wringing about how complex and difficult it is to navigate the interconnected world .
We just need to apply a bit of social common sense. Just because we can’t be seen when we type doesn’t mean we have are being private. The same social communication rules apply wether we are face to face, within listening distance, writing a letter or posting on-line.
Wake up to the illusion that work and home life are separate too. The split is all in the mind.
People need to be more circumspect with their opinions. Years ago I wouldn’t have dreamt about commiting an opinion to paper if there was a risk that it might be read by someone it wasn’t intended for.
You reap what you comment and you’d be gullible to think otherwise.

]]> http://www.mpdailyfix.com/how-to-avoid-the-perils-of-blended-networks/comment-page-1/#comment-39947 Alan Wolk Sat, 21 Feb 2009 16:56:01 +0000 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/how-to-avoid-the-perils-of-blended-networks/#comment-39947 Sorry to be catching this late. Quickest, most-needed fix: Facebook (in particular) needs to make privacy settings more pervasive and easier to find/use. Most people don't know they exist and FB does not make it easy to find and/or use them. Controls have to be inward-facing- that is key. I should have no idea if you regard me as friend or work contact. Plaxo made that mistake - allowing people to classify people as friend/work and it failed miserably. Why? Because say Joe, who I like, but really only know through work, tags me as a friend. Now I like Joe, so I don't want to offend him and accept. But then I realize that I know Bob & Betty much better than I know Joe, so shouldn't I call them friends too, and well, you get the picture. In terms of what to put up there, I always go back to the lesson I was taught as a child: never discuss religion or politics in public. That said, many people do not have a good grasp on how to filter themselves, and that may indeed cause a great deal of trouble. But like many things, it's a skill you can acquire with a bit of effort. Sorry to be catching this late.
Quickest, most-needed fix: Facebook (in particular) needs to make privacy settings more pervasive and easier to find/use. Most people don’t know they exist and FB does not make it easy to find and/or use them.
Controls have to be inward-facing- that is key. I should have no idea if you regard me as friend or work contact.
Plaxo made that mistake – allowing people to classify people as friend/work and it failed miserably. Why? Because say Joe, who I like, but really only know through work, tags me as a friend. Now I like Joe, so I don’t want to offend him and accept. But then I realize that I know Bob & Betty much better than I know Joe, so shouldn’t I call them friends too, and well, you get the picture.
In terms of what to put up there, I always go back to the lesson I was taught as a child: never discuss religion or politics in public. That said, many people do not have a good grasp on how to filter themselves, and that may indeed cause a great deal of trouble. But like many things, it’s a skill you can acquire with a bit of effort.

]]> http://www.mpdailyfix.com/how-to-avoid-the-perils-of-blended-networks/comment-page-1/#comment-39946 Joe Pemberton Fri, 20 Feb 2009 00:11:35 +0000 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/how-to-avoid-the-perils-of-blended-networks/#comment-39946 We're managing personal brands here and you have to remember that the internet is permanent. _ LinkedIn is for professional networks among people I've worked with and know. _ FaceBook is for personal networks. Limit it to people you know personally and consider friends and family. _ Twitter can be used for entirely private or entirely public use (but not both!). I use it for public musings, rants, and idea sharing all with a lens of a professional networking endeavor that happens to have a very casual format. No, I don't tweet about my clients unless I'm sharing valuable public information. We’re managing personal brands here and you have to remember that the internet is permanent.
_ LinkedIn is for professional networks among people I’ve worked with and know.
_ FaceBook is for personal networks. Limit it to people you know personally and consider friends and family.
_ Twitter can be used for entirely private or entirely public use (but not both!). I use it for public musings, rants, and idea sharing all with a lens of a professional networking endeavor that happens to have a very casual format.
No, I don’t tweet about my clients unless I’m sharing valuable public information.

]]> http://www.mpdailyfix.com/how-to-avoid-the-perils-of-blended-networks/comment-page-1/#comment-39945 Heidi Strom Moon Thu, 19 Feb 2009 18:01:37 +0000 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/how-to-avoid-the-perils-of-blended-networks/#comment-39945 The phrase "blended networks" is a great way to capture something that I've been trying to negotiate since I first started using social media, and which seems to have recently come to the fore (see also "Are you using Facebook and Twitter differently?" at <a href="http://blog.mrtweet.net/how-are-you-using-facebook-linkedin-twitter-differently?goback=.hom)" rel="nofollow">http://blog.mrtweet.net/how-are-you-using-facebook-linkedin-twitter-differently?goback=.hom)</a> For me, the answer so far has been to use LinkedIn for business (obvious), and create two Twitter accounts, one protected (private) and the other not (public). Up until now, I was keeping Facebook exclusively for friends and family, but as you noted, more and more people are using it as a sort of "more fun" LinkedIn. My solution there now is to use Facebook's privacy settings to segregate business type contacts into a list that sees a very limited view of my profile. These folks can contact me, and see my work and educational info, but my status updates and photos are not visible. (In fact, we just did a post on managing your Facebook settings at my company's blog: <a href="http://blog.cdginteractive.com/my_weblog/2009/02/controlling-your-facebook-privacy-settings.html)" rel="nofollow">http://blog.cdginteractive.com/my_weblog/2009/02/controlling-your-facebook-privacy-settings.html)</a> The phrase “blended networks” is a great way to capture something that I’ve been trying to negotiate since I first started using social media, and which seems to have recently come to the fore (see also “Are you using Facebook and Twitter differently?” at http://blog.mrtweet.net/how-are-you-using-facebook-linkedin-twitter-differently?goback=.hom)
For me, the answer so far has been to use LinkedIn for business (obvious), and create two Twitter accounts, one protected (private) and the other not (public).
Up until now, I was keeping Facebook exclusively for friends and family, but as you noted, more and more people are using it as a sort of “more fun” LinkedIn. My solution there now is to use Facebook’s privacy settings to segregate business type contacts into a list that sees a very limited view of my profile. These folks can contact me, and see my work and educational info, but my status updates and photos are not visible. (In fact, we just did a post on managing your Facebook settings at my company’s blog: http://blog.cdginteractive.com/my_weblog/2009/02/controlling-your-facebook-privacy-settings.html)

]]> http://www.mpdailyfix.com/how-to-avoid-the-perils-of-blended-networks/comment-page-1/#comment-39944 Cam Beck Wed, 18 Feb 2009 22:39:33 +0000 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/how-to-avoid-the-perils-of-blended-networks/#comment-39944 Carol - You know... this has me thinking. We have a tendency to behave differently in different social environments. I wonder if sites like Facebook can do for public morality what the moralists never could, by forcing youngsters (and anyone, I guess) to view all of their actions through the lens of "What if the entire world saw this?" Hm. Or -- cell phones might be banned as a condition of entry to a party/club. Carol – You know… this has me thinking. We have a tendency to behave differently in different social environments. I wonder if sites like Facebook can do for public morality what the moralists never could, by forcing youngsters (and anyone, I guess) to view all of their actions through the lens of “What if the entire world saw this?”
Hm.
Or — cell phones might be banned as a condition of entry to a party/club.

]]> http://www.mpdailyfix.com/how-to-avoid-the-perils-of-blended-networks/comment-page-1/#comment-39943 Carol Doms Wed, 18 Feb 2009 17:59:42 +0000 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/how-to-avoid-the-perils-of-blended-networks/#comment-39943 It does go back to common sense. What is facinating to me is this blending of the personal and professional. I am often amazed that people post online and somehow think this is private. Especially true among younger people. They are ok if their friends read and see their items on facebook, but their parents. "Mom! This is private, how could you!" Oh really, you post this for God and everyone to see and you think this is private. I am all for transparancy. However, there is such a thing as "too much information." It sort of ties into an article I read several months ago, stating that people looking for Doctors are now checking out Facebook. If the doctor shared about his wild drinking days in college, many folks are thinking, do I want a person who partied as much as it s/he did as my physician? " Things that make you go hummm. It does go back to common sense. What is facinating to me is this blending of the personal and professional. I am often amazed that people post online and somehow think this is private.
Especially true among younger people. They are ok if their friends read and see their items on facebook, but their parents. “Mom! This is private, how could you!” Oh really, you post this for God and everyone to see and you think this is private.
I am all for transparancy. However, there is such a thing as “too much information.” It sort of ties into an article I read several months ago, stating that people looking for Doctors are now checking out Facebook. If the doctor shared about his wild drinking days in college, many folks are thinking, do I want a person who partied as much as it s/he did as my physician? ”
Things that make you go hummm.

]]> http://www.mpdailyfix.com/how-to-avoid-the-perils-of-blended-networks/comment-page-1/#comment-39942 Cam Beck Wed, 18 Feb 2009 13:23:23 +0000 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/how-to-avoid-the-perils-of-blended-networks/#comment-39942 Dusan - Preferably whether someone can do a good job is something both sides agree on at the outset, saving both companies a lot of wasted time, money, and heartache. Harry - Great points. And even more poignant given the current state of the economy. You're right. We should be so lucky if a client or prospect wants to connect with us personally -- I'd say this is true even if they don't want to do business with us. First, they might be nice people, and second, you never know to what opportunity it might lead. Dusan – Preferably whether someone can do a good job is something both sides agree on at the outset, saving both companies a lot of wasted time, money, and heartache.
Harry – Great points. And even more poignant given the current state of the economy. You’re right. We should be so lucky if a client or prospect wants to connect with us personally — I’d say this is true even if they don’t want to do business with us. First, they might be nice people, and second, you never know to what opportunity it might lead.

]]> http://www.mpdailyfix.com/how-to-avoid-the-perils-of-blended-networks/comment-page-1/#comment-39941 Harry Hallman Wed, 18 Feb 2009 13:02:53 +0000 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/how-to-avoid-the-perils-of-blended-networks/#comment-39941 Whether you like it or not, when you have a profile on Facebook and many other social networks you should act as if you were visiting your mother. You never know who is going to find you and want to be a friend. You should be so lucky, if it is a client or prospect. You cannot stick your head in the business sand and miss these great business tools. So just act appropriate and save the shenanigans for live interactions or more restrictive messaging tools. If you want to be "yourself" then have at it. Just remember– "What happens on the Internet, stays on the Internet... for everyone to see." Whether you like it or not, when you have a profile on Facebook and many other social networks you should act as if you were visiting your mother. You never know who is going to find you and want to be a friend. You should be so lucky, if it is a client or prospect. You cannot stick your head in the business sand and miss these great business tools. So just act appropriate and save the shenanigans for live interactions or more restrictive messaging tools. If you want to be “yourself” then have at it. Just remember–
“What happens on the Internet, stays on the Internet… for everyone to see.”

]]> http://www.mpdailyfix.com/how-to-avoid-the-perils-of-blended-networks/comment-page-1/#comment-39940 Dusan Wed, 18 Feb 2009 05:58:17 +0000 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/how-to-avoid-the-perils-of-blended-networks/#comment-39940 Adding to Lewis's point - what is a problem here? ------------------ Then David Reich documented the mistake of a businessman who made this post on Twitter: "True confession but I'm in one of those towns where I'd scratch my head and say 'I'd rather die than live here.'" The problem was, he was in town for a business meeting with a client .... FedEx .... and they caught wind of it and took offense. --------------------- No problem actually. If you don't like the town, you won't do good projects there. Better for both to speak clearly about it from the start. Adding to Lewis’s point – what is a problem here?
——————
Then David Reich documented the mistake of a businessman who made this post on Twitter: “True confession but I’m in one of those towns where I’d scratch my head and say ‘I’d rather die than live here.’”
The problem was, he was in town for a business meeting with a client …. FedEx …. and they caught wind of it and took offense.
———————
No problem actually. If you don’t like the town, you won’t do good projects there. Better for both to speak clearly about it from the start.

]]> http://www.mpdailyfix.com/how-to-avoid-the-perils-of-blended-networks/comment-page-1/#comment-39939 Cam Beck Wed, 18 Feb 2009 00:33:37 +0000 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/how-to-avoid-the-perils-of-blended-networks/#comment-39939 "...change your privacy settings or better yet just email your drunken Halloween pictures to your friends" Leigh Anne - Thank you. That is EXACTLY the sort of risk we take when we ... well... what? Live, these days. Now, whether or not you have a Facebook profile or any other social media account, your image is at risk. You never know who has a camera phone, but you can bet that in a large gathering, someone will, and those photos of you taking a hit off a bong (*COUGH*MichaelPhelps*COUGH*) may make their rounds whether you intended them to or not. All the more reason, it seems, to foster a consistent, amenable persona no matter where you intend to hang your hat. “…change your privacy settings or better yet just email your drunken Halloween pictures to your friends”
Leigh Anne – Thank you. That is EXACTLY the sort of risk we take when we … well… what? Live, these days. Now, whether or not you have a Facebook profile or any other social media account, your image is at risk.
You never know who has a camera phone, but you can bet that in a large gathering, someone will, and those photos of you taking a hit off a bong (*COUGH*MichaelPhelps*COUGH*) may make their rounds whether you intended them to or not.
All the more reason, it seems, to foster a consistent, amenable persona no matter where you intend to hang your hat.

]]> http://www.mpdailyfix.com/how-to-avoid-the-perils-of-blended-networks/comment-page-1/#comment-39938 Leigh Anne Wallace Tue, 17 Feb 2009 22:56:24 +0000 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/how-to-avoid-the-perils-of-blended-networks/#comment-39938 I think this issue is especially hard for those of use who recently entered the professional world. When I joined Facebook, you were required to have a college email. So I never worried about my friends seeing my pictures or knowing what I was up to. But now, even my best friend's mom has a Facebook profile, not to mention my CEO. If you are super concerned about who sees what on Facebook, change your privacy settings or better yet just email your drunken Halloween pictures to your friends (and tell them not to put the pics on Facebook). I think this issue is especially hard for those of use who recently entered the professional world. When I joined Facebook, you were required to have a college email. So I never worried about my friends seeing my pictures or knowing what I was up to. But now, even my best friend’s mom has a Facebook profile, not to mention my CEO. If you are super concerned about who sees what on Facebook, change your privacy settings or better yet just email your drunken Halloween pictures to your friends (and tell them not to put the pics on Facebook).

]]> http://www.mpdailyfix.com/how-to-avoid-the-perils-of-blended-networks/comment-page-1/#comment-39937 Cam Beck Tue, 17 Feb 2009 20:43:49 +0000 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/how-to-avoid-the-perils-of-blended-networks/#comment-39937 Lewis - I agree. Trying to be too many versions of yourself just gives you too much to remember. Not worth the effort, in my opinion, but that opinion is entirely circumstantial. Lewis – I agree. Trying to be too many versions of yourself just gives you too much to remember. Not worth the effort, in my opinion, but that opinion is entirely circumstantial.

]]> http://www.mpdailyfix.com/how-to-avoid-the-perils-of-blended-networks/comment-page-1/#comment-39936 Lewis Green Tue, 17 Feb 2009 19:14:03 +0000 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/how-to-avoid-the-perils-of-blended-networks/#comment-39936 Cam, I went into social media and social networking with a business goal based on building relationships. I believe that most of us business development, marketing and communications consultants are professional and qualified to offer cleint advice. Frankly, in my 30 years of hiring consultants when I was in the corporate world and now offering my services to businesses, I have found that to be mostly true. What differentiates us is how we relate to our clients and the ways in which we create great experiences. With that said, I make every effort to be authentic 100% of the time I'm online so that when I reach out to someone or they reach out to me, their are no hidden personnas or agendas to concern ourselves with. Be authentic, honest and polite and the rest takes care of itself. Cam,
I went into social media and social networking with a business goal based on building relationships.
I believe that most of us business development, marketing and communications consultants are professional and qualified to offer cleint advice. Frankly, in my 30 years of hiring consultants when I was in the corporate world and now offering my services to businesses, I have found that to be mostly true. What differentiates us is how we relate to our clients and the ways in which we create great experiences.
With that said, I make every effort to be authentic 100% of the time I’m online so that when I reach out to someone or they reach out to me, their are no hidden personnas or agendas to concern ourselves with.
Be authentic, honest and polite and the rest takes care of itself.

]]> http://www.mpdailyfix.com/how-to-avoid-the-perils-of-blended-networks/comment-page-1/#comment-39935 Cam Beck Tue, 17 Feb 2009 18:44:01 +0000 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/how-to-avoid-the-perils-of-blended-networks/#comment-39935 Hi David - Ouch, indeed! I wonder... Since Facebook is not a closed-environment and you still have the freedom to join if you wish, are you now considering it as a means of gaining the ability to manage your own personal brand, or have you forsaken it forever? Hi David -
Ouch, indeed!
I wonder… Since Facebook is not a closed-environment and you still have the freedom to join if you wish, are you now considering it as a means of gaining the ability to manage your own personal brand, or have you forsaken it forever?

]]> http://www.mpdailyfix.com/how-to-avoid-the-perils-of-blended-networks/comment-page-1/#comment-39934 David Moore Tue, 17 Feb 2009 18:23:41 +0000 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/how-to-avoid-the-perils-of-blended-networks/#comment-39934 I have restricted myself from Facebook. Maybe even to the detriment of my businesses. Within the past two months, my estranged wife created a Facebook account for socializing, trolling for companionship, and trashing me. Ouch! Seeing Facebook as a sharp object, I'd just as soon keep it out of HER hands. I have restricted myself from Facebook. Maybe even to the detriment of my businesses. Within the past two months, my estranged wife created a Facebook account for socializing, trolling for companionship, and trashing me. Ouch! Seeing Facebook as a sharp object, I’d just as soon keep it out of HER hands.

]]> http://www.mpdailyfix.com/how-to-avoid-the-perils-of-blended-networks/comment-page-1/#comment-39933 Cam Beck Tue, 17 Feb 2009 18:00:24 +0000 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/how-to-avoid-the-perils-of-blended-networks/#comment-39933 "I had almost learned a costly lesson in common sense back then." David - I was in a similar situation a couple of years ago -- also on an elevator -- pertaining to a project that had been... problematic. Luckily, the person I directed my comments to had the foresight to gently shut me up. “I had almost learned a costly lesson in common sense back then.”
David – I was in a similar situation a couple of years ago — also on an elevator — pertaining to a project that had been… problematic. Luckily, the person I directed my comments to had the foresight to gently shut me up.

]]> http://www.mpdailyfix.com/how-to-avoid-the-perils-of-blended-networks/comment-page-1/#comment-39932 David Reich Tue, 17 Feb 2009 17:57:18 +0000 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/how-to-avoid-the-perils-of-blended-networks/#comment-39932 I agree with your first commenter Chris... it's more about using common sense, regardless of the medium. A true story from when I was new in the business: I was with a colleague in the elevator going to a new biz meeting. I started to say something about the meeting to my colleague and he shut me up by quickly changing the subject. Turned out the third person in the elevator was one of the people we were about to meet with. I had almost learned a costly lesson in common sense back then. I agree with your first commenter Chris… it’s more about using common sense, regardless of the medium. A true story from when I was new in the business: I was with a colleague in the elevator going to a new biz meeting. I started to say something about the meeting to my colleague and he shut me up by quickly changing the subject. Turned out the third person in the elevator was one of the people we were about to meet with. I had almost learned a costly lesson in common sense back then.

]]> http://www.mpdailyfix.com/how-to-avoid-the-perils-of-blended-networks/comment-page-1/#comment-39931 Cam Beck Tue, 17 Feb 2009 17:57:14 +0000 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/how-to-avoid-the-perils-of-blended-networks/#comment-39931 Chris - Common sense is often a byproduct of having thought things through. The twittersphere (and every-other-sphere) is littered with so many exceptions that it suggests what should be common sense is often, at best, unevenly applied. Tom - I love this phrase, "The Authenticity Chicken has come home to roost." If I had it to do over again, I might use that as a headline. :) You made some great points. I especially enjoyed your matter-of-fact approach to the new reality as you explained how people can turn it to their advantage. Chris – Common sense is often a byproduct of having thought things through. The twittersphere (and every-other-sphere) is littered with so many exceptions that it suggests what should be common sense is often, at best, unevenly applied.
Tom – I love this phrase, “The Authenticity Chicken has come home to roost.” If I had it to do over again, I might use that as a headline.
You made some great points. I especially enjoyed your matter-of-fact approach to the new reality as you explained how people can turn it to their advantage.

]]> http://www.mpdailyfix.com/how-to-avoid-the-perils-of-blended-networks/comment-page-1/#comment-39930 Tom Schulte Tue, 17 Feb 2009 17:23:02 +0000 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/how-to-avoid-the-perils-of-blended-networks/#comment-39930 Ahhhh... the Authenticity Chicken has come home to roost. With Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Flickr and other social and business networking sites gaining so much momentum and popularity, people are suddenly discovering that the cloak of personal secrecy is quickly coming off of them. I know many people who are now confused on the new lines of demarcation between their professional, personal, and the super "OMG!!! TMI!!! LOL!!!type-personal" lives. What has happened to us is that our desire to be heard and validated has probably sneaked up and has gotten the best of us. Call it vanity or simply call it self-expression, the complete exposure of our lives (for those who choose to participate) is probably going to be with us for a while. So my suggestion would be to simply understand the oncoming reality and adjust our expectations accordingly. Think of all of these online exposure elements as a personal branding opportunity. Keep you LinkedIn strictly professional. Package your Facebook so that friends (and more and more of your business associates) can see both your silly side and your professional side. Hide, delete, or restrict your potentially embarrassing pics and videos. Keep Twitter very appropriate for any audience. But most importantly with the entire things is to have a common brand of authenticity that really speaks who you are. For me, I have made a conscious effort to be considerate of my audience(s) and I am taking the opportunity to be just ONE AUTHENTIC person. I use the same pic for all the locations to keep consistency. I have a liberating freedom now to simply be. No secrecy cloak for me. See what I mean at www.twitter.com/tomschulte and www.linkein.com/in/tommyland. Ahhhh… the Authenticity Chicken has come home to roost. With Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Flickr and other social and business networking sites gaining so much momentum and popularity, people are suddenly discovering that the cloak of personal secrecy is quickly coming off of them. I know many people who are now confused on the new lines of demarcation between their professional, personal, and the super “OMG!!! TMI!!! LOL!!!type-personal” lives. What has happened to us is that our desire to be heard and validated has probably sneaked up and has gotten the best of us. Call it vanity or simply call it self-expression, the complete exposure of our lives (for those who choose to participate) is probably going to be with us for a while. So my suggestion would be to simply understand the oncoming reality and adjust our expectations accordingly. Think of all of these online exposure elements as a personal branding opportunity. Keep you LinkedIn strictly professional. Package your Facebook so that friends (and more and more of your business associates) can see both your silly side and your professional side. Hide, delete, or restrict your potentially embarrassing pics and videos. Keep Twitter very appropriate for any audience. But most importantly with the entire things is to have a common brand of authenticity that really speaks who you are. For me, I have made a conscious effort to be considerate of my audience(s) and I am taking the opportunity to be just ONE AUTHENTIC person. I use the same pic for all the locations to keep consistency. I have a liberating freedom now to simply be. No secrecy cloak for me. See what I mean at http://www.twitter.com/tomschulte and http://www.linkein.com/in/tommyland.

]]> http://www.mpdailyfix.com/how-to-avoid-the-perils-of-blended-networks/comment-page-1/#comment-39929 Chris Desouza Tue, 17 Feb 2009 17:02:22 +0000 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/how-to-avoid-the-perils-of-blended-networks/#comment-39929 It is all about using common sense. Social networks have very little to do with it. It is all about using common sense. Social networks have very little to do with it.

]]>