CIOs get calls. CIOs get a lot of calls and a lot of emails and now a lot of LinkedIn connection requests.
I have noted the importance of a good client/vendor relationship in the past. I value a good vendor partnership. I also have a good amount of respect for people in the sales business. I remember what it was like when I was in business for myself. Prospecting was my least favourite thing to do and I avoided it. It wasn’t for me.
What has happened with LinkedIn has transformed it from what it once was, a platform for professionals to network and communicate, to a prospecting platform for sales. I have come to expect that any connection I accept from someone I don’t know will be immediately followed up with a sales pitch. It is true this only becomes unmanageable to open networkers. If you only accept connections from people you know, this doesn’t become a problem. This is why I have sharply reduced my acceptance rate. While I once enjoyed connecting with professionals in various fields, that party is over.
Michael Dawisha 