There is no point, and no benefit, in having connections on LinkedIn if you are not communicating with them. If you do not take a moment to look at who you are connecting with — their introduction, experience, and what they are actually about — then you are not building a network, you are simply collecting connections, and that is pointless.

There should be a reason for connecting, and invariably that reason should be made clear by the invitee. It is hard to do in 300 characters, but the limitation is useful because it forces clarity.

In over 30 years as an employer and in business, there are two striking differences between now and then — the “good old days”.

Firstly, people in business were far more receptive to opportunities. Today, within seconds (if the opportunity even gets a hearing), many people are too quick to make snap decisions, and are ready like lightning with “I’m not interested”.

Secondly — particularly younger people, but not entirely — many now play their cards far too close to their chests in any form of “dealing”. From simple first conversations through to detailed negotiations and presentations, the buying side can treat it as a weakness to express interest or appear too keen. Where is the enjoyment of doing business, finding new opportunities, and genuinely enjoying the people you are doing business with? It is all but gone, and I look for those people like gold dust.

A recent example: in discussions with a hotel chain, the Procurement Manager was incredibly reserved — not a flicker of emotion, no expression at all, almost robotic. I genuinely had no idea whether he was even interested, until he asked: “If we put them in every room, will you give us exclusivity for 12 months and not supply any other hotels?” Just five months from launch it was not something I would entertain, but when I replied with the only question I could reasonably ask, his answer was still guarded. Yet his LinkedIn profile presented a very different set of skills (a skilled negotiator, building strong relationships… yada yada…).

When layers of barriers are erected to filter out new approaches, those same barriers also prevent valuable ideas, partnerships, and innovations from ever being seen. History tells us that if you repeat the same process again and again, you will achieve the same results again and again.

And that is why having 500+ unknown connections you have blindly accepted — where you do not have a clue who most of them are — is futile.  We are always told, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know that matters.” Yet the world’s largest business connection system can make a mockery of that, if we let it.

I am connected to a few people, who have zero idea what I do, what my products are and the positive and transformative impact they would have on their respective companies.  Both could easily achieve my annual sales target, reducing my cost of sales, that I could pass on to them. 

That opportunity went through LinkedIn like a Japanese Bullet Train and although a connection was made, once it was made, they never looked at my profile and ignored the messages. A huge mutual opportunity was lost