The challenge with LinkedIn and the Coaching Industry is this: I believe that most of the people on LinkedIn are, judging by their posts, pretty much where they want to be. They have the jobs they want in the fields that pull them. The posts I read are often swollen with justifiable pride at an Award, ‘delight’ at obtaining a new role, and gratitude for having experienced an old one as they moved on. That underpins the professionalism that LinkedIn is expected to reflect, surely?

Occasionally a poster seeks advice or help, but in the main they are marketing or they are demonstrating personal pride. Me too – there’s no judgement in that last sentence. So this is a message for all of our fellow professionals on LinkedIn.

What about your employees and peers that aren’t yet where they want to be? And what about your other roles? Do you need coaching/advice in their regard?

John Allan, architect at Stirling Castle, raised a stone upon which was inscribed the legend, “Whate’er thou art, act well they part.” It was widely thought this was a quote from Shakespeare but apparently not. It has inspired great leaders, regardless of where it was derived. But it isn’t about work alone. It is about all of your roles.

Back to the posters. Now and then, a post appears on my feed where someone has arrived at or pulled through a challenge that isn’t related to work. And that is the great leveller, isn’t it? Everyone on LinkedIn is a professional.

And everyone on LinkedIn has a life outside of their work. And everyone who works with or for a LinkedIn ‘name’ has the same challenges and issues as we members.

Allan’s quote reminds us that we play many roles in life, and that we should dedicate our ‘professionalism’ to all of them. We know of great actors and scientists and politicians whose personal lives were a mess – they played one role with aplomb, but bombed elsewhere.

One of your roles as a professional is your ‘job’. the other roles are trainer, mentor, team-mate, administrator. Your personal roles include brother, sister, son/daughter, spouse/partner, home-maintainer, finance manager – I give up, you make your own list.

And it pays us to be good at all of those individual roles, doesn’t it?

Going back to coaching – I know you might read posts such as mine and enjoy them. (Or not.) But your role as a mentor and colleague and yes, family member, behoves you to consider passing the content on to those you love, respect and empower. They may not be on LinkedIn: they may not feel as empowered and successful as you and may just appreciate the content of coaching posts because of that – and they may appreciate you for making it known to them.

Don’t look at a coaching post and think “I like that”, and/or “I don’t need it, though”, and stop there. Share it amongst your peers and hierarchy – sideways, up and down. Somebody might just see something they need at just the time they need it.

That is a service you can provide at the click of a button. Don’t just Like – SHARE.

You’ll be acting one of your roles very well indeed.

For more, go to threeresolutionsguy.com or visit HERE for the book, The Three Resolutions.