Blogger’s note: almost 5 years ago I ran this series of blog posts on LinkedIn and EI. Judging from recent events and behaviors, I, and you, can benefit from a refresher. One a day for the next 13 days will follow. Earlier, many of you commented positively. It’s worth repeating IMO.

Control your thoughts; it takes work

Thinking before acting always makes good sense, especially in the emotional heat of the moment.

Think; what will my actions and words on LinkedIn do to impress, or repress, my brand to/from others?

Will I say something untoward, or say nothing in a situation in which I should comment?

Better, will I stand apart as a frequent thought leader and gesturing commenter on other people’s contributions and successes? Can I contribute my expertise by answering someone else’s question in a way that is not sales-y but will provide them the assistance they crave, impress them, and signal my willingness to provide more value?

Then the choice of words, intonation (difficult in the written word) and nuance become all-important. You should write drafts, proof them, and reevaluate tone and shades of meaning before actually posting them.

Once published on LinkedIn, no need to be disappointed that no one seemed to notice your contribution–often they do notice but do not comment as acknowledgement. Sometimes they just “like” it and fail to add a meaningful comment, in their haste or perhaps out of poor manners. Or your comment was not worthy of comment … reevaluate what you wrote and try next time to be more interactive. That also is control of your thoughts on the screen.

Practice and control the message to make the best impact on others’ well-being.