For a long time LinkedIn has badly needed something to get people interacting with the site more often. The vast majority of people who have a LinkedIn profile rarely log in, preferring to check the friendlier and funnier things being posted on Facebook.
To boost its user engagement, LinkedIn has made a number of upgrades over the years. Groups were a major addition in 2004, which remains a relatively unexplored goldmine of information for HR/OD/L&D professionals. A slew of other recent enhancements have included Companies to Follow, Jobs You Might Be Interested In, and the ability to Endorse other people’s skills. So if you've been neglecting LinkedIn, now is the time to jump back in.
By far, the most significant addition to the homepage was something called LinkedIn Today in 2011, offering a regular stream of popular news and articles. The most recent extension of this free service is
LinkedIn Influencers — important business leaders and thinkers whose articles you can follow. At the outset, LinkedIn provided around 150 “Influencers,” and are continuing to expand the list. Below are 10 of our favourites who consistently write interesting articles and are widely adored by the business community . . .
In no particular order.
1. Richard Branson
Best known as the intrepid billionaire founder of Virgin Group, Branson presides over an army of companies located all over the world, which run into the number of a whopping 400 — yes, that's right — 400 companies are under the Virgin brand. As someone who was once a high school drop-out suffering from a poor academic record, Branson knows there's a lot more to succeeding in business than what gets taught in school and universities.
Most popular article:
See all articles by Richard Branson
2. Jack Welch
Jack Welch was CEO of General Electric (GE) for 20 years (1981-2001). Under his tenure, GE became one of the most profitable companies in the world, subsequently making Welch one of the most recognisable and often-quoted business leaders of modern times. Since his retirement from GE, he has gone on to be a major keynote speaker and author of a number of best-selling leadership titles including “Jack: Straight From the Gut” and “Winning.”
Most popular article:
See all articles by Jack Welch
3. Daniel Goleman
Harvard Psychologist Daniel Goleman launched the idea of EQ into the public awareness in 1995 with the release of “Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ.” The Harvard Business Review chose his article “What Makes a Leader” as one of their ten “must-read” articles and Emotional Intelligence was named one of the 25 “Most Influential Business Management Books” by TIME Magazine. Goleman is currently the co-director of the Consortium for Research on Emotional Intelligence in Organizations at Rutgers University.
Most popular article:
See all articles by Daniel Goleman
4. Lou Adler
A recruiting guru with 30 years of experience in executive search, Adler is widely acknowledged to have written some of the best content available on recruitment. The articles he writes are always brimming with real world insights from a passionate recruiter who has spent a life-time in the trenches — he is thoroughly practical and to the point.
Most popular article:
5. Josh Bersin
Josh Bersin heads up a Human Capital consulting and research division of Deloitte Consulting, called “Bersin by Deloitte.” Bersin is a popular blogger for Forbes.com, a frequent speaker at industry events, and has been quoted on talent management topics in key media, including Harvard Business Review, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, and BBC Radio.
Most popular article:
See all articles by Josh Bersin
6. Guy Kawasaki
Marketing and social media guru Guy Kawasaki was previously best known as the chief evangelist of Apple (he was one of the Apple employees originally responsible for marketing the Macintosh in 1984). Currently, he is special advisor to the Motorola business unit of Google. He is also author of the best-sellers “The Art of the Start”, “Enchantment,” and ten other books.
Most popular article:
See all articles by Guy Kawasaki
7. Naomi Simson
Following a career as a corporate marketer with companies such as IBM, KPMG, Ansett and Apple, Simson went on to found RedBalloon in 2001 (a corporate gift company), which is considered an Australian internet success story. She is a regular speaker and blogger, and has been featured in the Secret Millionaire TV series in Australia.
Most popular article:
See all articles by Naomi Simson
8. Gretchen Rubin
Gretchen Rubin is the author of several books, including the #1 New York Times and international bestseller, The Happiness Project — an account of the year she spent test-driving the wisdom of the ages, the current scientific studies, and the lessons from popular culture about how to be happier. Her blog, The Happiness Project, is exceptionally popular due in no small part to her lucid writing style. (Rubin is a former editor-in-chief of the Yale Law Journal and lecturer at the Yale School of Management.)
Most popular article:
See all articles by Gretchen Rubin
9. Hunter Walk
Hunter Walk’s resume includes stints at Late Night with Conan O’Brien, Mattel and Second Life. He’s most well known for his 9+ years at Google/YouTube where he led the product team responsible for making YouTube the force it is today. He recently left Google to start a new VC firm called Home-brew. Walk provides interesting insights on both his past experiences in digital and what’s next.
Most popular article:
See all articles by Hunter Walk
10. Dave Kerpen
Dave Kerpen is an entrepreneur, author, former reality television personality, and one of the foremost experts in Social Media. Kerpen is the CEO of Likeable Local, a social media software startup for small businesses. Kerpen’s posts range from marketing advice to leadership skills and to what he has learned about life from his young daughters. His writing style is candid, genuine, often self-deprecating and very funny.
Most popular article:
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