The question of real connection on LinkedIn is one that seems to linger in the quiet spaces.

I joined LinkedIn again after years away and honestly, didn’t recognise it anymore as the platform had transformed into, curated posts, relentless feed, position and status, the subtle pressure to perform rather than truly engage.

At times, it's felt as though authenticity itself has been filed away and taken over by algorithms and productivity metrics. Recently I've been contemplating on what was missing for me here and this question arose, "What if LinkedIn could be a place to practice generosity?"

Toni Morrison once said: “When you get these jobs that you have been so brilliantly trained for, just remember that your real job is that if you are free, you need to free somebody else.”

And in Acts 20:35, Paul recalls the words of Jesus Himself: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

Of course I’ve experienced connection in the quiet generosity of others who've used their platform to amplify my little voice, who've commented thoughtfully, who've celebrated a small win that the feed would've otherwise not recognised. These connections are all the more precious to me. That is the spirit I want to bring here. Not just a hand out to receive, but a hand stretched out to lift.

In a recent HBR article on networking, the authors ask: What if the real value of networking is not what you get, but what you give? I’ve found that even one authentic connection can outweigh a hundred superficial ones. Each act of kindness, each genuine conversation, is a quiet rebellion against the marketplace of noise a way to build a community of generosity, where helping others is the strategy.

So here’s my pivot: 1. creating what I couldn’t find. 2. building spaces for meaningful exchange.

Algorithms aside, we still hold the power to choose how we engage. I think we could all do more to move beyond clicking ‘connect’ to truly supporting one another. If that resonates with you, let’s connect not just to add numbers, but to add meaning.