Showing Up Well on LinkedIn

“Half the battle is just showing up,” claimed Stephen Hawking, who epitomized the graceful preservation of human dignity through physical adversity. The fine actor Peter Gallagher reinforces this notion by adding, “To stay on the map, you’ve got to keep showing up.” Noted educator and author Brené Brown identifies the link between courage and vulnerability: “The willingness to show up changes us; it makes us a little braver each time.” Acknowledging Hawking, I would add that showing up on LinkedIn is half the battle, but showing up WELL wins the war.

Showing Up as a Function of LinkedIn Style

I pay attention to how people show up on LinkedIn. Approaching 100,000 hours of study on this platform at press time, I understand how professionals use LinkedIn to mobilize, organize, and prioritize for business. As the medium has changed, so have our tastes and tolerances. Behaviorally, we have become increasingly forthcoming about our value propositions as we position ourselves—in our profiles, direct messages, and posts— for growth opportunities. And some, of course, are more forthcoming than others.

Showing up—how we become conspicuous in a given setting—is critical for survival, especially in the high-leverage moments in our lives. If we are to compete for business, jobs, or attention, it behooves us to embolden ourselves and show up well. In the physical world, people can readily assess us face-to-face through our apparel, expressions, mood, voice intonation and inflection, gestures, and mannerisms. Online, the brain processes information and communication patterns differently, forcing us to bring our creative energy to bear in negotiating an ambiguous, text-intensive environment.

Showing up well on LinkedIn translates to identifying as authoritative, competent, and approachable in your profile and being receptive and respectful in your exchanges with others. What you make apparent to the naked eye on LinkedIn drives your experience on the platform, which, in turn, influences your LinkedIn style. Those who telegraph a strong self-image and reveal a genuine drive to serve and support will open more meaningful conversations with decision-makers and connectors.

How Can We Show Up Better on LinkedIn?

LinkedIn is a mooring force, a tethering of the present to the past, and a stabilizing influence for one’s future self. Over time, I have adapted my outreach to meet my preferences in connecting with others. I show up on LinkedIn differently now than in previous years—more confident, with all synapses firing, ready to play, and eager to give. For me, showing up well in business is not a suggestion but a success imperative.

As your humble LinkedIn style guide, I offer the following three-pronged approach to level up the way you show up on this platform:

1). LEAD WITH POSITIVITY. Your fellow professionals will be more inclined to engage with you when you are pleasant and upbeat. On LinkedIn, exuding confidence and a healthy optimism lead you to see possibilities and open promising conversations. A doom-and-gloom attitude is counterproductive and not conducive to building a sticky brand.

2). BE INTENTIONAL. On LinkedIn, people can tell when you are phoning it in. Being transparent, receptive, and genuinely interested in the community builds a foundation of trust and sets the tone for purposeful collaboration. The stakes are going up in business. You can expect to be called out or phased out if seen as indifferent, disingenuous, or detached.

3). DO NOT SELL RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE. When you sell from the get-go, you disrespect your conversation partner(s) and violate LinkedIn’s User Agreement. Postpone the pitch until you solidify the connection, deepen the relationship, and determine a need for your product, service, or skill set. Nobody is buying anything from you sight unseen. Nobody.

A Parting Thought (or Two)

Showing up well on LinkedIn is the work. That means getting into character, making good choices, and connecting emotionally and intellectually with my fellow professionals. Despite my unflagging enthusiasm, sometimes I do not feel “all in” and need to find that inner resolve to stay present in the moment. That is where my training in improvisational comedy comes in handy. Believing there are good things on the other side of the effort keeps me grounded, feeling safe, and showing up in the best possible light.

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A Note from our Sponsor

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