The worst professional advice I’ve received of late was shared with me by a colleague who told me to focus on my internal/within the company reputation managing up, down and across and that I needed to stop wasting energy on maintaining and growing my industry expertise and reputation within my social web communities. I don’t think there’s an either or on your reputation, well at least for me there isn’t.

This was about a year or two before social media blew up, but I realized later that what I’d been doing was forming and building connections and relationships with people throughout the agency of 60+ people who I’d have never had a chance to talk to otherwise. I knew who was celebrating a birthday, who read comic books (like me) and what kind of candy people enjoyed (which I tried to bring in and offer whenever I thought about it). I was also gathering professional insight and information in ways other people in the agency weren’t. It seemed strange to the VP that I wasn’t “focused” on my work, but really, I was basically preparing myself for a career in social media (just without the social media at that point). I still got work done then conversing and listening – just like I get work done now with Twitter and Facebook open in the background – it simply didn’t appear that way to the VP. Of course, I now realize that, had I taken the implied advice, I probably wouldn’t have kept up my relationship building and wouldn’t have my current career. AND I wouldn’t be working for my current boss (who I met as a result of my “office wandering”). I’d say it’s worked out well so far.

For some reason, I always leave novel-length comments when I post my thoughts here. Sorry again for that, and thanks for the post/topic, Shannon. It’s a great question.