Since reading the first Chapters in Online and Social Networking Communities I've been thinking about the boundaries between personal and professional lives in social networking communities. When interacting on a personal level within my social networking community I'm aware of my digital footprint and am conscious about how I present myself knowing that my professional life overlaps through certain connections. Within my professional network I am also aware of the way in which I present myself. I attempt to bring warmth to my communication and allow for evidence of my personality. I find this helps me connect on a genuine level to those with whom I'm involved professionally.
My "hunch" is that to ridgidly divide the two worlds is to somehow defy the nature of network connections while trying to control something that cannot be controlled. The web of network connections of which I'm a part cannot be controlled by me (or any individual). The only person I can control is myself; it is therefore up to me to present myself - personally and professionally - in a way that makes me feel proud and genuine.
As we become more aware of the power of our digital footprint and as network connections evolve in complexity, I feel that we will move away from keeping separate "lives" and trying to control what certain people see or don't see. We will begin to present ourselves more holistically (rather than severed parcels) and make sophisticated choices about what we choose to share. The result: our personal presentation of ourself becomes more professional; our professional presentation becomes more personal.
My "hunch" is that to ridgidly divide the two worlds is to somehow defy the nature of network connections while trying to control something that cannot be controlled. The web of network connections of which I'm a part cannot be controlled by me (or any individual). The only person I can control is myself; it is therefore up to me to present myself - personally and professionally - in a way that makes me feel proud and genuine.
As we become more aware of the power of our digital footprint and as network connections evolve in complexity, I feel that we will move away from keeping separate "lives" and trying to control what certain people see or don't see. We will begin to present ourselves more holistically (rather than severed parcels) and make sophisticated choices about what we choose to share. The result: our personal presentation of ourself becomes more professional; our professional presentation becomes more personal.