“Jon, why do you care what happens to companies? They’re just corporate beasts with no feelings. If they follow bad advice or fall for the hype that’s on them. Rich pickings for the rest of us.”
I care because companies employ people and people matter. Everything a company does impacts its people. If it fails, people suffer. If it exploits, people suffer. If it chases hype and wastes money, that impacts the economy and people suffer.
But, when companies do things well they succeed, and there’s a potential for people to succeed too. Sometimes that success can also create suffering, and that’s one more reason why I care. Anything I can do to make that success a win-win instead of a win-lose, no matter how small, is worth it. That’s the point.
So yes, I care about what businesses do and how they do it. It’s right there in my LinkedIn bio.
That’s why I get passionate about discussions on professional sites like LinkedIn. Every discussion matters, and every situation is a chance to contribute positively or negatively. Hype can be hugely harmful, and so can blanket pessimism. Every conversation is improved by factual information, whether it agrees with your position or counters it.
That’s what professional platforms should be for. Improving the world of work for everyone.
Otherwise, what’s the point of work?