RandyLahey

Account Executive

Acclaimed Answer

Valued Contributor

A LinkedIn First

Good morning fellow savages,

I had to run this by my partner this morning, to make sure I'm not some aging crank. She (somewhat) agreed with my take, and obviously nuanced it a bit.

This morning, I logged into LinkedIn to peruse the Feed (first mistake). I see a post from a former University classmate of mine. Sadly, this post was about his recently deceased infant child.

Naturally, I felt a ton of sadness for this individual, and reached out to them directly, but...privately. This had me thinking; Is this what LinkedIn has become?

People deal with grief in different ways, so I would never criticize that, however I can't escape that it felt (can't quite explain why) inappropriate to see this on this platform.

Am I a past-his-prime, aging grump? Or should there be limits with LinkedIn?

Feel free to suggest other poll options.

Is it appropriate to post about infant loss, or other deep grief, on LinkedIn?

Attached poll

Yes, you heartless bastard No, LinkedIn was and should be about professional networking It was always going to devolve into this, personal lives can't be separated

*Voting in this poll no longer yields commission.

👨‍💻 LinkedIn

24

33 comments

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poweredbycaffeine

WR Lieutenant

14

☕️

I want to reach through the screen and both hug and slap people who use loss of any kind, but especially of a child, as an opportunity to write some dumbass post about hope and sorrow and how both can make you stronger at your job.

The modern need for engagement from strangers as a means of solace and comfort is icky as fuck.

detectivegibbles

Politicker

4

Sales Director

I hate saying that I agree...because I feel like I'm being a judgmental prick.

But there's a large amount of people that EVERYTHING needs to be shared socially.

It's quite fascinating to see unfold in real time.

RandyLahey

Politicker

3

Account Executive

Well said, could've used that in my argument earlier lol.
It just strikes as a desperate plea for attention, leveraging a tragic event.

poweredbycaffeine

WR Lieutenant

4

☕️

They deserve that attention, but not from strangers who are socially trained to like or support something tragic. If they want to post it on their slack channels internally then that may make more sense. The pleas for attention make you question the intent.

TennisandSales

Politicker

2

Head Of Sales

yes! the moment i feel like this loss is being used to get any sort of attention or anything it makes me cringe.

SaaSsy

Politicker

1

AE

SPOT on! It’s not to grieve it’s to get attention for that individual. It makes me sad that so many people don’t have real friends or family to lean on. Social media posts also aren’t therapy.

sketchysales

Politicker

9

Sales Manager

Im struggling to know how to answer your poll without seeing the post.

I hate LI and it is a cesspit, but at the end of the day it is just another form of social media which is all bullshit and while we can have an opinion, its not up to us what people post.

Without seeing the post, I could translate it to the post being the person dealing with the grief at the same time as using it as a way of letting people know why they may not be contactable or on their A-game for a while but I agree its still a weird way to communicate it.

LI and Bravado is the only social media i use these days and even then im pretty much done with LI, its a distraction if nothing else.

RandyLahey

Politicker

2

Account Executive

Though I'd love to link it, I feel it would be inappropriate to do so.
It wasn't quite like you describe, more about "hope and I am posting this to raise awareness."

sketchysales

Politicker

3

Sales Manager

I agree with PBC, the need for strangers sympathy is odd. Smells a little bit, as bad as you do feel for the person because losing a child is surely one of the worst things that could ever happen to you.

braintank

Politicker

5

Enterprise Account Executive

As long as they didn't use it to shill...

punishedlad

Tycoon

5

Business Development Team Lead

I really don't care what the context is, LinkedIn should be reserved as a solely professional networking tool. The fact that it's become more of a social media platform has killed it, IMO. I do not think that your mentality is one of an old fogey.

Justatitle

Big Shot

4

Account Executive

I do think Linkedin should be for professional networking and at it's core that is what makes it the most valuable piece. In a moment of terrible loss though maybe it is a coping mechanism this person needed. I'd rather not see terrible news on there like that but also don't want to sound heartless in saying so.

RandyLahey

Politicker

1

Account Executive

Exactly this - this is why I felt bad criticizing them in the first place, I just can't shake this uneasy feeling.

Justatitle

Big Shot

2

Account Executive

You shouldn't feel bad for feeling a certain way, you are human and have emotions. you're not a bad person for having the ability to think.

Kosta_Konfucius

Politicker

3

Sales Rep

I am fine with it, because its so hard for me to imagine someone is willing to post about a child's death solely for likes.
Maybe this person doesnt use any social media, so this is a way to let their close friends know or co-workers why they have taken a week off of work.

CuriousFox

WR Officer

3

🦊

Obviously I voted heartless bastard because it made me evil laugh out loud 😆

RandyLahey

Politicker

2

Account Executive

I'm really proud of myself with that one.

Fenderbaum

Politicker

1

Retired Choirboy🪕

Ha, good stuff!

Gyro25

Notorious Answer

2

Account Executive

If you've lost your job and you're in the shitter in more ways than one, possibly. However, 90% of LI posts are relection of what Facebook used to be in mid 2000s. The Facebook "wall" is just LI and instead of "poking" your friends, you send LI in mails.

I think it's a devolution of sorts in the sense that human emotions and experiences are being weaponsized/monetized on a platform that rewards content of any kind. The platform doesn't award any distinction between sincerity and clout chasing.

DungeonsNDemos

Big Shot

2

Rolling 20's all day

I can't imagine that level of loss. As horrible as that is, I don't feel like it's the right thing to share on linkedin

Pachacuti

Politicker

2

They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy

If your network is full of people you know personally, sure. Otherwise, I wouldn't go to LI with someone so personal.

GingerBarbarian

Opinionated

2

Lead Sales

I talk about the losses I have suffered on LinkedIn. From 2019-2021 I lost my mom, brother, aunt and grandmother) I do it because I often talk about emotional Intelligence in organizations and sales as a whole. I cannot talk about EQ without being willing to show the same vulnerability that I ask from others.
All of use are very likely in sales. Our job is to get customers to open up about the big problems they ate facing in their business and help them solve them. We should be encouraging this level of vulnerability. Our livelihoods depend on people being willing to open up and have frank discussions with us

GingerBarbarian

Opinionated

1

Lead Sales

Can I also say I have connected deeper with a number of people in my network by talking about our shared loss. One of my close connections lost his father last week and has reached out to talk with me about it. It has strengthened our partnership and desire to work more together.

RandyLahey

Politicker

1

Account Executive

Thanks for sharing your perspective. I'm sorry for your loss.
To each their own; I would never criticize how one deals with grief. I enjoy the separation of my private and professional lives, but hey, that may not be for everyone.
It's not how would I do it, and it's not how I use LinkedIn. I believe there are other social networks for that purpose.

GingerBarbarian

Opinionated

1

Lead Sales

I get that. And each person cam use the platforms how they want. To me, it is about the change I want to see in business as a whole. More emotional Intelligence and compassion is my overall goal, and this is my small effort to help move the business world in that direction

RandyLahey

Politicker

0

Account Executive

Well on that we definitely agree; significant change is needed.

Maximas

Tycoon

1

Senior Sales Executive

Sorry for the loss, I would say that it could be only as something peripheral at the end of a business post but not like doing a full separate post about it!

Sunbunny31

Politicker

1

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

LinkedIn stopped being a purely professional networking site during the runup to the 2016 election.

Or maybe it had already started the inevitable creep toward blurring that line between personal and professional before that and I just hadn't noticed until people started spouting off all kinds of political opinions that you'd think a prudent business owner or potential employee would just keep to themselves in the interest of not spoiling their chances at attracting revenue or obtaining a position.

A loss is a terrible thing. I've seen it used to springboard campaigns that can help others, where energy is put into raising funds for research or to sponsor a scholarship. And far be it from me to tell someone who is grieving the best method for expressing that grief, but I'm not sure what the purpose in sharing something so personally tragic on a public forum not dedicated to support for loss would be, outside of my own cynical observation that we're comfortable with oversharing as a whole in this society.

TennisandSales

Politicker

1

Head Of Sales

so I am with you, ppl process grief differently and if it helps them heal then post about in Linked In, no issues!

As we have seen a rise in "influencers" on LI we see ppl wanting to incorporate more of their personal life so we "connect with them as ppl".

which, idk i guess is good?

when i come on linked in i am not coming to learn about ppl personal life. maybe i am close minded but, i think im on the same page as you haha

Corpslovechild

Politicker

1

Inbound Sales Manager

Linkedin sucks. There is so much shit on that platform.

RandyLahey

Politicker

0

Account Executive

A cesspool of content/engagement farming.

nomdeguerre

Executive

1

Account executive

I think it’s disgusting. There is no other reason to post that imo than attention and using your dead child for attention is sickening.

JDialz

Politicker

1

Chief Operating Officer

“Partner” super cringe

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