When LinkedIn Is More Than A Platform

LinkedIn can be many things to many people. Sometimes, it is a college dorm, with a common room.

A college is a platform for many obvious things. And living in a dorm is a rite of passage- many fond memories and some less stellar ones.

I vividly recall one incident in my early years, way before my dorm days.

An Indian diplomat became a parliamentarian from my grand parents constituency on the Cauvery delta in Tamil Nadu, India. As a youngster and being the curious kind, I probed my uncles on how this man's first passport to politics happened. They shared, “he went to school with the Prime Minister and knew him from his younger days.”

That idea puzzled me as a teenager.

Now, in my middle age, I can relate. I am still friends with folks I went to college with. We lived in the hostels in the desert heartlands of Rajasthan, India – right within an oasis of water, knowledge and great friendship. The sojourns to the late night canteens wrapped in a shawl wading through the wintery night for some piping hot chai (tea with milk). And a night out of conversations. Many friendly rapports cemented over those dialogues – the feelings are still fresh.

My aha – what seemingly brought many of us together were our common goals of education, what we gained as individuals are roots – roots of common memories, a social network like no other. Fully present, physically in person.

Right from the diplomat’s story to my own – the social side of staying together under one roof as a group does something to many of us. It creates pellets of nourishing bonds that build through the years.

Somewhere along the way, I see that happening in the annals of the digital world through LinkedIn Pulse.

I was originally drawn by content and the desire to express myself on LinkedIn Pulse– that is what I thought anyway. And it morphed.

Sarah Elkins, a digital friend through the leaves of LinkedIn, and I spoke a few months ago. One word that flashed in front of me - passion. I will give that to her. It was in her voice- the joyous energy with a tinge. The best way to describe the timbre of the tinge  - I am young, I have a dream and the world is my oyster. Remember the first time you felt that way?

In that ambience of a voice, she shared a conference concept– from drawing audience through storytelling to clever ways of distributing content.  I felt a flush of college life - a digital content college life. 

When she drum rolled on about the joy of networking under one roof, I felt nostalgic for college dorm. When she said, Ritz Carlton, I was thinking about a room with benefits – your own room with bathroom.

And as she rolled, so did my images.  Her passion was contagious. When she said no keynote speakers, only interactive facilitators,  I felt - ok, even better, no need to visit the college, just sit at the dorm and have conversations in the dorm common rooms. Casual, fun and powerful.

In all my roll of imageries, she had one central concept – No Longer Virtual. I had three moving interpretations – at least.  I chuckled at that thought. I was glad I finally landed in the common rooms of the dorm! Outwardly in a learning college and yet an outside setting.

When I reflect back on my years in college – more memories emanate outside the class room. Somewhere over the rainbow of lounges and common spaces, hanging out with my besties and wellwishers. A social experience like no other. I felt it would be fun to experience it again – even if it was for two days. I told her, “count me in.”

Reflections: Connecting the Dots

As I sit back and reflect, what she marshaled to do in the physical world,  LinkedIn Pulse has paralleled for me in the virtual world.  All I asked was a seat at the table. You generously gave it to me. Each one of your 7150+ comments are ample treasures.

In life, we connect the dots after the fact. My aha on this platform - I was drawn by content and outlasted by hugs of human connections- one person at a time.

On that thought, I wrap my memories.

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Karthik Rajan.

P.S.  I am always magnetized by one concept and different interpretations. My inspiration for this blog are the experiences of Kathy Hilsinger Walliser, in response to one of my blogs.