“That reminds me of LinkedIn”: the art of the professional anecdote
The late Jeremy Hardy once complimented lay preachers on their ability to turn any anecdote, no matter how mundane or bizarre, into a lesson from their preferred religion. Usually, he noted wryly, the segue from anecdote to lesson involved the phrase, “And I thought, that reminds me of Jesus.”
As I scroll through LinkedIn’s endless timeline, I can’t help but think he’d approve of what goes on. There are some wonderfully crafted tales that slide smoothly from that dodgy breakfast on a balcony in Tenerife into a vital lesson on digital transformation (other buzzwords are available).
Others read like a bargain car that starts as a shiny new BMW 5 series and ends with half a rusting Lada Riva glued to the back with duct tape and chewing gum.
Some don’t even bother. “I did a thing,” the story starts and before the tale unwinds they scream: “BUY MY STUFF.”
However you’re doing it, please don’t stop. Somewhere there’s a person waiting for your anecdote and life lesson to surface. Maybe they’ll connect, maybe they’ll smile and move on. Maybe they’ll put fingers to keyboard with a pithy, “This isn’t Facebook”.
And if you’re struggling to find a way to bring the two halves of your post together, don’t forget Mr Hardy’s one-size-fits-all fix:
“And I thought, that reminds me of LinkedIn.”
My name is Ross Hori
I'm a freelance writer, designer and photographer. By day I create articles, features and reports. At night I take photos and write fiction. Find out more.
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