One Good Deed Deserves Another

This article was written by me and originally published as a Top Tip through The Social Adviser. After some recent social interactions and presentations, I thought it was a good time to share this again.

This article is primarily about you and the importance of maintaining authenticity in everything you do, especially in your social interactions. What you give, you get in return and LinkedIn is the perfect platform to demonstrate the art of reciprocity.

As the eldest grandchild on both sides of my family, there was always an expectation that I should set the example for the rest of the children that followed. Even though my Nan is no longer with us, I can still hear her voice inside my head reminding me “Now Jen, remember one good deed deserves another.” It starts with you!

I have used this principle pretty much my entire life, it is not however about the outcome of a good deed being done in turn for you.  Interestingly, life has pretty much handed me back what I have been prepared to give of myself first. Do a good deed for another and the favour will find its way back to you.

So as the walls of the business world come down and we deal everyday more and more on digital platforms and social environments, I considered how this life principle now translates in the new world.  Attitude dictates behaviour andReciprocity is a behaviour; it is a positive action responding with another positive action.

There are examples of this everywhere on digital platforms such as LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook; with the fundamentals of Like / Comment / Share as the basis for interaction. But it is the intention with which we approach this action that is the key.

Let’s focus on LinkedIn for a moment.

For those that have taken the time to inject themselves into their professional profiles and have developed a virtual version of themselves; the community automatically gravitates towards these people. Connections are made, endorsements and interactions occur and relationships are born.

Then there is the sharing of intelligence, knowledge that we have gained and that has been gifted to us along the way should be once again shared to our professional community. Posting of images, curating other peoples content but most importantly publishing our own content allows us to share experiences and knowledge that others may not have had the benefit of.

The moment a LinkedIn member Likes / Comments / Shares anything you have gifted to the community; they have had an experience because of you and their intention is to now pass on that gift to someone else.  The LinkedIn community provides a constant feedback loop to you on how you are perceived and the more you interact, the more you give; the more acts of kindness that come back to you. That’s reciprocity!

Invest yourself in creating a uniquely you LinkedIn profile and leverage who you are!

Reciprocity is a strong human behaviour and if you are anything like me, it has been engrained in you from a very young age. Adapting this to the digital world we now live in has amplified these random acts of kindness. A word of caution, if you are focused on the outcome – if it’s the profit to you that you are looking for then be aware a fraud is just as easy to spot in the digital world as they are in the real world.  If you pass through obligation, you will receive retaliation by simply being ignored.

So yes my Nan was right, one good deed does deserve another! My reciprocity is to pass on the amazing experiences and knowledge that I have gained through the colleagues I work with, the amazing people I have met and shared experiences with, as well as the many years I have worked as a Business Consultant.

If you are not already connected with me then I look forward to beginning the conversation with you here on LinkedIn or you can head to Twitter and join the conversation there – @jennypearse1.

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