Success Advice
My Real Life Addiction To LinkedIn.

My LinkedIn account has exploded over the last year.
That’s where the addiction all started.
“With every sexy, bright red, notification came a form of validation that made me feel worthy like I was somebody.”
What’s wrong with checking LinkedIn every 30 minutes?
That was the big question I asked myself. The answer was that I had become dependant on it. If people didn’t like what I was doing on LinkedIn, I’d have a bad day. LinkedIn was making me lose touch with the real world and all its glory.
I’d forgotten about travel.
I’d forgotten about nature.
I’d forgotten about love.
One bad comment from a former colleague made me lose prospective.
Generally, I deal with the Internet Trolls pretty well. That was until a former colleague I used to work with, who messed up badly at work, posted on one of my articles. I thought we were friends before the comment and then afterwards I had second thoughts.
She accused me of all sorts of things. I didn’t think they were true, but it made me mad.
I was mad, and I didn’t know why. I’d become addicted to LinkedIn, and I didn’t know why.
I think I was in denial at this stage.
Then the viral LinkedIn post happened.
Having millions read my blog post on LinkedIn sent the addiction into overdrive.
I became obsessed with responding to every comment in real-time because I knew that was a secret hack to gaming the LinkedIn newsfeed algorithm.
I knew live engagement mattered yet again, I’d lost perspective.
During work meetings, I’d check on the latest comments.
While on the phone to loved ones I’d check the comments.
While on the toilet I’d check the comments (okay probably too much information).
The challenge with all social media is that the more success you have in the form of engagement, the more addicted to the attention you become. The viral post I wrote on LinkedIn was part of that.
Video came next.
If the written blog post attention I was getting was not enough already, then LinkedIn introduced video. This sent my brain into a frenzy. I’d learned from Facebook that new features like video were rewarded by social platforms in the form of showing your content to more users.
This made me quickly figure out how to start posting video on LinkedIn. The trouble was that I had to find content that mattered to me and that took hours. I also became addicted to watching other people’s LinkedIn video’s for ideas, and again, I felt something was not quite right.
Instead of creating content, I had become a consumer all over again. My addiction grew further too.
Influencers then started rejoining LinkedIn.
Yes, for those that didn’t know, many people had forgotten about LinkedIn until many began rejoining or using their accounts again this year. Why? They came back wanting the free organic reach that their content would be given on LinkedIn.
I’d begun to crave this same organic reach because no other social media platform was giving me this drug I wanted so badly.
I spent days and nights reading the posts of these LinkedIn influencers and learning what they did. I’d become lost and had forgotten why I joined LinkedIn in the first place.
What was I doing trying to get all this stupid attention?
I all of a sudden woke up from this nightmare.
Learning about stoicism and becoming more aware made me wake up from this nightmare. I reflected on what I was doing and started going back to my why.
I went on LinkedIn to inspire the world through entrepreneurship and personal development. I did not join LinkedIn to become an influencer, rack up meaningless stats or build a personal brand.
The game that is social media nearly dragged me in headfirst.
What’s the answer? How do we not become addicted?
What worked for me was focusing on purpose and inspiring others. You can have all the engagement, fans and numbers of shares in the world but without a decent why, you become lost.
Digital addiction is taking over and we must fight back!
By no means am I saying social media or LinkedIn is bad: what I’m saying is that you need to know why you’re on it and keep it under control.
You need to timebox your social media participation. If you can’t control your social media usage, then try quitting for a while.
There’s more to life than social media and instant gratification.
Becoming a beautiful human being and having real-world interactions should be the goal. I feel gullible in a way because yet again, I let social media distract me.
Well, not anymore ladies and gentlemen. I’m sticking to what Jon Westenberg said on Medium.com. I’m focusing on the long road. I’m never going to give up on my dream and I’m going to keep doing what I do regardless of social media metrics.
I’m going to choose my goal in life above all else. That’s what I have to give to the world.
I want the same for you.
If you want to increase your productivity and learn some more valuable life hacks, then join my private mailing list on timdenning.net
Success Advice
Why One-Size-Fits-All Leadership Will Always Fail (and What Works Instead)
The surprising truth about leadership styles that can make or break your team’s success.

Leadership has always been as much about people as it is about performance. Ken Blanchard, in his influential book, “The One Minute Manager”, put it simply: different strokes for different folks. (more…)
Success Advice
What Every New CEO Must Do in Their First 100 Days (or Risk Failure)
Your first 100 days as CEO could define your entire legacy, here’s how to make every move count

When Tim Cook took over from Steve Jobs at Apple, the world watched with bated breath. Jobs wasn’t just a CEO; he was a visionary, an icon, and a legend of innovative leadership. (more…)
Entrepreneurs
The Leadership Shift Every Company Needs in 2025
Struggling to keep your team engaged? Here’s how leaders can turn frustrated employees into loyal advocates.

In workplaces around the world, there’s a growing gap between employers and employees and between superiors and their teams. It’s a common refrain: “People don’t leave companies, they leave bad bosses.”
While there are, of course, cases where management could do better, this isn’t just a “bad boss” problem. The relationship between leaders and employees is complex. Instead of assigning blame, we should explore practical solutions to build stronger, healthier workplaces where everyone thrives.
Why This Gap Exists
Every workplace needs someone to guide, supervise, and provide feedback. That’s essential for productivity and performance. But because there are usually far more employees than managers, dissatisfaction, fair or not, spreads quickly.
What if, instead of focusing on blame, we focused on building trust, empathy, and communication? This is where modern leadership and human-centered management can make a difference.
Tools and Techniques to Bridge the Gap
Here are proven strategies leaders and employees can use to foster stronger relationships and create a workplace where people actually want to stay.
1. Practice Mutual Empathy
Both managers and employees need to recognize they are ultimately on the same team. Leaders have to balance people and performance, and often face intense pressure to hit targets. Employees who understand this reality are more likely to cooperate and problem-solve collaboratively.
2. Maintain Professional Boundaries
Superiors should separate personal issues from professional decision-making. Consistency, fairness, and integrity build trust, and trust is the foundation of a motivated team.
3. Follow the Golden Rule
Treat people how you would like to be treated. This simple principle encourages compassion and respect, two qualities every effective leader must demonstrate.
4. Avoid Micromanagement
Micromanaging stifles creativity and damages morale. Great leaders see themselves as partners, not just bosses, and treat their teams as collaborators working toward a shared goal.
5. Empower Employees to Grow
Empowerment means giving employees responsibility that matches their capacity, and then trusting them to deliver. Encourage them to take calculated risks, learn from mistakes, and problem-solve independently. If something goes wrong, turn it into a learning opportunity, not a reprimand.
6. Communicate in All Directions
Communication shouldn’t just be top-down. Invite feedback, create open channels for suggestions, and genuinely listen to what your people have to say. Healthy upward communication closes gaps before they become conflicts.
7. Overcome Insecurities
Many leaders secretly fear being outshone by younger, more tech-savvy employees. Instead of resisting, embrace the chance to learn from them. Humility earns respect and helps the team innovate faster.
8. Invest in Coaching and Mentorship
True leaders grow other leaders. Provide mentorship, career guidance, and stretch opportunities so employees can develop new skills. Leadership is learned through experience, but guided experience is even more powerful.
9. Eliminate Favoritism
Avoid cliques and office politics. Decisions should be based on facts and fairness, not gossip. Objective, transparent decision-making builds credibility.
10. Recognize Efforts Promptly
Recognition often matters more than rewards. Publicly appreciate employees’ contributions and do so consistently and fairly. A timely “thank you” can be more motivating than a quarterly bonus.
11. Conduct Thoughtful Exit Interviews
When employees leave, treat it as an opportunity to learn. Keep interviews confidential and use the insights to improve management practices and culture.
12. Provide Leadership Development
Train managers to lead, not just supervise. Leadership development programs help shift mindsets from “command and control” to “coach and empower.” This transformation has a direct impact on morale and retention.
13. Adopt Soft Leadership Principles
Today’s workforce, largely millennials and Gen Z, value collaboration over hierarchy. Soft leadership focuses on partnership, mutual respect, and shared purpose, rather than rigid top-down control.
The Bigger Picture: HR’s Role
Mercer’s global research highlights five key priorities for organizations:
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Build diverse talent pipelines
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Embrace flexible work models
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Design compelling career paths
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Simplify HR processes
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Redefine the value HR brings
The challenge? Employers and employees often view these priorities differently. Bridging that perception gap is just as important as bridging the relational gap between leaders and staff.
Treat Employees Like Associates, Not Just Staff
When you treat employees like partners, they bring their best selves to work. HR leaders must develop strategies to keep talent engaged, empowered, and prepared for the future.
Organizational success starts with people, always. Build the relationship with your team first, and the results will follow.
Entrepreneurs
What Makes an Entrepreneurial Leader? Traits of the World’s Best Innovators
Inside the mindset of entrepreneurial leaders who transform risk, passion, and vision into world-changing results.

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