The Business Leadership Program Digest: Generosity and Gratitude

Thoughts from the BLP Associates in North America

LinkedIn

November 2014

What is this project about?• The Business Leadership Program (BLP) is a rotational

program designed to foster and develop the future leaders of LinkedIn. In the program, associates explore the fields of sales, marketing, and operations, and are exposed to current LinkedIn leadership. We recruit top graduates at universities and colleges across North America.

• This presentation compiles the thoughts and experiences of BLP alumni and current associates in our Bay Area, Chicago, and New York City offices.

• In this month’s compilation, we focus on generosity and gratitude.

• To learn more about this transformational program and how to apply, please go to our job listing: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs2/view/19879743

Generosity and Gratefulnessby Aaron Kappe (BLP September Class of 2014)

www.linkedin.com/in/akappe

I heard these words spoken late one afternoon at LinkedIn: “it’s just so great working here, I still can hardly believe it.” While I didn’t know who said them or even the context, I knew that they reflected not only my own sentiments, but also the sentiments of my colleagues here at LinkedIn. This can be broken down more explicitly into two parts.

1. LinkedIn is extraordinarily generous towards its employees.

2. Its employees are keenly aware of and grateful for this.

1. The word has been getting out for a while that LinkedIn is a great place to work. Glassdoor ranks LinkedIn as the the third-best place to work, and LinkedIn tops ComputerWorld’s list for best midsize place to work in IT. Why is this? An inspiring vision for the future, an emphasis on work-life balance, daily free food, flexible PTO… The list goes on and on.

2. What separates LinkedIn is that everyone seems to realize how fortunate they are to be treated so well by such a great company and are demonstrably thankful in response. While there is extensive evidence of this in my two short months since joining LinkedIn, two particularly poignant examples come to mind. The first involves the Candy Grammin event where employees sold candy grams to raise money for the facilities team that is so fundamental to maintaining the energetic atmosphere at LinkedIn. These purchased candy grams were then given to express gratitude towards those people who made personal and professional impacts. My fellow members of the Business Leadership Program collectively wrote thank-you notes to our awesome leadership team that has been so critical to making LinkedIn such an amazing place to work.

Generosity and Gratefulnessby Aaron Kappe (BLP September Class of 2014)

www.linkedin.com/in/akappe

The second example hasn’t yet happened but is in preparation - LinkedIn employees are so thankful that they have set aside an entire InDay, an event once a month devoted to various themes selected by employees, to gratitude. In addition to selecting this theme in the first place, my colleagues will be setting up Gratitude Booths in LinkedIn offices across the globe where employees can tangibly express their gratitude to those impactful individuals in their lives.

Too often I am liable to take for granted the many blessings in my life, but thanks to the culture of generosity and gratefulness surrounding me at LinkedIn, this opportunity I have is something for which I’ll continue to be grateful, even after rising from my Thanksgiving-induced slumber.

GratitudeBy Sam Easton (BLP July Class of 2013)www.linkedin.com/in/samueleaston

Oh, The Places You’ll Go!

You have brains in your head.

You have feet in your shoes

You can steer yourself

any direction you choose.

The wise words of Dr. Seuss seem a little harder to believe when you’re sitting down during a formal interview and the hiring manager flat out tells you, “Sam, I really respect what you’ve accomplished up till this point, but I just don’t believe you’re cut out for this job.”

Ouch.

Long story short, the person on the other side of the desk in that interview is now my manager, and a year into LinkedIn, life ain’t too shabby. So, what happened?

First, let’s back up and talk context. It was my senior year at UW-Madison and I was back in Chicago on a Friday to get some face time in with my manager-to-be. I had been through a full day of interviews about a month prior and I had yet to receive a concrete decision, so I trudged through the cold, the wind and the snow into the office. I was unsure of what to expect, but despite the weather, filled with a heady optimism.

GratitudeBy Sam Easton (BLP July Class of 2013)www.linkedin.com/in/samueleaston

Well, you know how it turned out. Dejected is a good word to describe how I felt that day. Defeated is not. After all, I was interviewing for a gig in sales with a background in Journalism. Writing, reporting, producing and advertising experience does not a salesperson make...usually. Who’s to blame for believing that I wouldn’t fit in?

So I was knocked down, but not shut down. Thankfully, my gracious, caring, wonderful interviewer left one option open. “Prove it,” he said. And prove it I did.

On top of the most challenging semester of my college career and in the middle of a job hunt that spanned states and industries, I did everything in my power to connect my background to the role and articulate my findings to my manager. Even still, it wasn’t until a full six months of hard work passed that I received that heartwarming, final call. And damn did it feel good.

I’ve learned a lot since I’ve started at LinkedIn, more than I could ever hope to express, and I have much more learning left to do. Yet, out of it all, one feeling stands out: Gratitude.

Though I didn’t realize it at the time, my entrance into LinkedIn was an amazing first look into the opportunity that awaited me here. Though getting in wasn’t easy, it feels like the chance was always there waiting for me. I just had to work for it. And now that I’m here, that feeling hasn’t changed a bit.And so I feel gratitude, because here, the great Dr. Seuss’s words ring true. Here, opportunity truly exists for those who earn it and for those who can create it for themselves. Here, nothing is easy, but everything is possible. Here, talent comes from the most unexpected of places.

GratitudeBy Jonathan Jackson (BLP September Class of 2013)

www.linkedin.com/in/jonathandjackson

I can talk about the year over year growth. The employee perks. The #2 ranking on Glassdoor. The award winning architecture and design in each office. The thought leaders and industry titans at the forefront of innovation.

Other people did that already though. Take a walk with me instead.

If you did the same thing for 20+ years, and had your dream trapped inside of you, what would it feel like to finally get the chance to see it unearthed? What would you do? How would you feel?

Anyone can dream, but memories have to be made. When you get a chance That's If you get a chance to be in a place (or work) in a place that makes that possible, do it.

The BLP Program was where I got an inkling of what I might be able to do, if I stopped telling myself no. For that, and many more things, I am humbled and grateful.

Watch a conversation on gratitude with Jonathan Jackson here: http://vimeo.com/111165989

Be Grateful for Your (Work) FamilyBy Brad Rose (BLP September Class of 2014)

http://www.linkedin.com/in/bradrose1

I am constantly reminded that time is everyone’s most valuable resource. Indeed, time is money and wasting people’s time is counterproductive. But with Thanksgiving rapidly approaching, I’d like to take the time to say “thank you” to my work family.

If you’ve read Reid Hoffman’s new book, The Alliance, this moment of familial gratitude may come as a surprise. One of Reid & Co.’s most powerful insights is the rejection of the idea that a company should function like a family:

“When CEOs describe their company as being ‘like family’, we think they mean well. They’re searching for a model that represents the kind of relationships they want to have with their employees- a lifetime relationship with a sense of belonging. But using the term family makes it easy for misunderstandings to arise.”

Instead, Reid & Co. look to successful professional sports franchises, such as the unstoppable New England Patriots and the rough and tumble Boston Red Sox, to make a stronger business comparison. On this level, I wholeheartedly agree (I am from New England). But I believe something is lost in this comparison. As a member of the Business Leadership Program at LinkedIn, I’ve learned that a company cannot function like a family, but a team certainly can.

A successful sports franchise, such as the Patriots, is an organization with a roster of 53 players, as well as hundreds of additional personnel. A company like LinkedIn, however, has thousands of employees scattered across multiple continents. Reid & Co. are correct when they compare winning a championship to achieving a company’s mission. But the success of a company in achieving its mission is not determined by one team, but many. In the case of the Business Leadership Program at LinkedIn, I’ve seen a team of 20+ ambitious strangers transform themselves into a sometimes dysfunctional, but always productive, family.

Be Grateful for Your (Work) FamilyBy Brad Rose (BLP September Class of 2014)

http://www.linkedin.com/in/bradrose1

I am fully convinced that without my BLP family, I would be waiting at the fictional bus stop for the shuttle to unemployment. My BLP family takes care of me, and I do my best to take care of them. When, in fact, I was about to miss the shuttle on the second day of work, a member from our team had the bus driver stop and wait for me to catch up. It would have been one thing if I had told someone I was running late, but I didn’t. At that hour of the morning, the shuttle to Mountain View is often full of immovable bodies desperately trying to make up for lost sleep. Yet in this dark, crowded cave, my BLP family noticed that the goofy tall kid from Harvard was not on the bus.

The key takeaway here is that the “team” and “family” frameworks are not mutually exclusive. A family is most always a team, but a team does not have to be a family. You don’t have to be friends to win championships (Shaq & Kobe), but sometimes you get lucky. Although each member of my work family has his or her own goals, we are each working towards the same championship: to connect the world’s professionals to make them more productive and successful. For the Business Leadership Program at LinkedIn, the potential is huge and the opportunities are endless. I’m just glad I didn’t miss the shuttle.

The Most Generous Gift You Can Give Is TimeBy Jenna Becerra (BLP September Class of 2013)

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennabecerra

As Thanksgiving fast approaches, I have been thinking a lot about what I’m truly grateful for, and there are many things: health, my job, the fact that I have food and a roof over my head, etc. But what I’m most grateful for is the people in my life – family, friends, and coworkers. They each bring a unique dimension to my life that has helped me think, act and grow.

If I had to simplify it, what it comes down to is these people’s generosity. I firmly believe it’s the reason I am the professional I am today, and I see the same values now working at LinkedIn.

Generosity is often thought of as donations of money or objects. In reality, it’s not the things that I’m grateful for, but rather the time that these people have given to me. Not only have they invested time, but they’ve also taught me how and where to be generous with my time. Here are the areas where the important people in my life taught me to be generous with time, and how it’s applied working at LinkedIn.

People you love

My mother, Marie Becerra, and father, Richard Becerra, are the most selfless examples of generously giving time to people they love. I could easily write books on their efforts, but to summarize, they are best at three things: being present for loved ones, celebrating them and teaching. My mother advised me, and my father coached me in softball every day, they both celebrated every small and big accomplishment or occasion, and they taught me the core values of compassion and dedication. Recently, LinkedIn as a company gave back to them through Bring In Your Parents Day, which celebrated the time our parents gave us and let us invest time in them. My mother participated this year and reminded me how to be both patient and persistent, and my production spiked that day at work. I also helped her make her LinkedIn profile and start building her network – we were able to teach each other.

The Most Generous Gift You Can Give Is TimeBy Jenna Becerra (BLP September Class of 2013)

www.linkedin.com/in/jennabecerra

Giving back and paying forwardMy LinkedIn coworker and fellow Business Leadership Program associate, Catherine Rivera, is my most recent example of generously giving time back to the community and paying it forward. She is highly effective at three things: discovering what disturbs her, acting to make progress for change, and sharing her knowledge. She’s determined that she cares about health and educating people, acted as a peer health advisor at Stanford, and now shares her LinkedIn knowledge with nonprofits to help them recruit top talent.Catherine’s dream was to work at a nonprofit to give for a living. She told me she came to LinkedIn because it is an ambitious corporation and a place for giving at the same time. Catherine brought her knowledge to build on our mission to make professionals more productive and successful and leverages the LinkedIn for Good social impact efforts to grow as a professional and person.

YourselfLastly, Sam Schwartzstein is a meticulous example of being generous with time for yourself in a non-selfish way. When we were at Stanford together, he had one of the most amazing transformations I’ve ever seen a person go through. Tangibly, he went from a football player with minimal playing time in 2009 to becoming the starting Center and Captain of the Rose Bowl Champion team in 2013.In his mindset now, he is committed to three things: constant development, maintaining health, and taking the sometimes necessary “Me Day.” Sam consistently works on independent projects to learn new skills, enforces a healthy lifestyle through consistent physical activity and quality diet, and takes the occasional “Me Day” to play video games or watch TV – in other words, do little things that make him happy and rejuvenated.

The Most Generous Gift You Can Give Is TimeBy Jenna Becerra (BLP September Class of 2013)

www.linkedin.com/in/jennabecerra

We can actively focus on ourselves at LinkedIn in two big ways: LearnIn, a platform where employees can take courses and build skills in new areas, and InDay, one day per month set aside for employees to take time and do something that matters to them – volunteer, participate in themed activities, etc. Sam taught me that spending time on improving yourself is the best way to get better at spending time on others, and I can now use LinkedIn’s outlets to transform professionally.---Time is the most sacred and guarded thing that we have. In reality, it is like our currency, and our lives require us to constantly give, take and exchange it. We’re often so afraid of wasting it that we end up being stingy with it, and it’s never delegated quite the way we want it to be. Since it is probably the most finite thing in the world, it’s the most genuine gift you can give someone.

My parents, Catherine, and Sam have taught me where to invest my time generously, and LinkedIn has reinforced and encouraged this mindset in the workplace. I encourage you to be generous in “donating” your time to the people you love, the community, and yourself, and you’ll become a better professional for it.

Bringing Your Whole Self to WorkBy Ruslan Zagatskiy (BLP September Class of 2014)

www.linkedin.com/in/rzagatskiy

Every two weeks LinkedIn employees take an hour to assemble for the All Hands meeting. The All Hands is a state of the company address where CEO Jeff Weiner discusses developments within our core operating priorities. To kick off the event, three employees from around the world introduce themselves, share a fact that isn’t on their LinkedIn profile, and demonstrate a unique talent.

In my few months at LinkedIn, I’ve seen a Munich sales executive lift 20 full glasses of beer in one go, a woman from Brazil perform an elegant ribbon dance, and our CEO duke it out with an Olympic class boxer (Jeff lost). These performances, which are done in front of all six thousand plus employees, speak to LinkedIn’s culture of bringing your whole self to work. Every employee is free to be honest about who they are, to be the same person in and out of the office. This idea is at the core of the company’s workplace culture and feeds into our governing values and cultural tenants.

When I first joined LinkedIn’s Business Leadership Program (BLP), Karen Borsetti, the North America head of BLP, promised us this exact type of open workplace. It’s easy to tell that Karen brings her whole self to the office. She is enthusiastic, energic, and candid in everything she does; Karen does not hold back (in the best way). She encouraged all of us to be just as expressive and to share our passions with the company. It’s been amazing to see how not only folks in our program, but throughout LinkedIn, truly embody this principle.

Bringing Your Whole Self to WorkBy Ruslan Zagatskiy (BLP September Class of 2014)

www.linkedin.com/in/rzagatskiy

By eliminating a work persona, LinkedIn creates a fun and dynamic office environment. It becomes easy to combine collaboration and problem solving with playing Ping-Pong and making jokes. Managers and colleagues are invested in your welfare; they care about your success on a personal level as well as a professional one. This culture, which leads to open, honest, and constructive communication, is most valuable during high stress projects and when large mistakes happen. Instead of being reactive and on edge, coworkers take time to understand problems and solve them collaboratively. It’s a win-win culture that is possible largely because of the personal connections we have established with each other.

Being congruent with who you are outside of work also plays into internal initiatives. There are many instances of employees creating programs and projects around causes they are passionate about. A great example is the Runnin’ United 5K Fun Run, a charity run that supports the Fred Gabler Helping Hand Camp Fund. This initiative started as something small that a employee was doing with friends and family. Eventually, she applied for a LinkedIn Transformation Grant to take her impact to the next level. With the grant, she was able to scale the program globally and now raises over $20,000 every year. Hundreds of LinkedIn employees support this cause from countries all over the world, a testament to the power of relationship building. In the end, it was her confidence in the company and its culture that allowed her to take this very personal initiative to the next level.

Company Of My Dreams Exemplifies Gratitude and GenerosityBy Rose Choi (BLP July Class of 2014)

www.linkedin.com/in/rosechoi

It’s officially the holiday season. You know what that means. Seasons changing… house decorating…family partying…lots of cooking…more money spending… and turkey eating! It’s one of the most wonderful times of the year.

With it, also comes a time of reflection. It's a perfect time to reflect on of the things that we are fortunate to have and think about how we can offer more generosity to the world.

One of my recent reflections traveled me back in time to November 2013, when I received an offer from the company of my dreams…LinkedIn. Surprisingly enough, I received the offer the evening before Thanksgiving Day— and yes, it came at the perfect time. After my initial burst of excitement which was quickly followed by a river of happy tears, I hopped on my laptop and emailed one of my professors, Ronald Magnuson, to share the good news.

"I got the offer today for San Francisco!!!!” I exclaimed in my email.

He replied back, “That is fantastic. Now you have even more to be thankful for.”

Boy was he right about that!

A year later…

Company Of My Dreams Exemplifies Gratitude and GenerosityBy Rose Choi (BLP July Class of 2014)

www.linkedin.com/in/rosechoi

And I’m here! I’m currently an associate in LinkedIn’s new Business Leadership Program (BLP). In short, I've been absolutely loving it. Somehow, LinkedIn has managed to surpass my expectations and has, thus far, lived up to all of the reasons why LinkedIn was my dream company in the first place. I’ve been embracing the culture, learning from my managers and peers, and most of all, supporting LinkedIn’s overall vision to create economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce.

In the five months that I’ve been here, I’ve had several “special moments” that continue to demonstrate what an amazing company LinkedIn is. In the spirit of gratitude and generosity, I thought I’d share just a couple of these moments that have left me feeling something like this:

• Many of them have a similar theme which entail simplistic, yet heart-warming ‘thank yous’ to co-workers. We succeed at building employee morale through genuine recognition and appreciation of one another. Shout-outs are a thing. For example, when Ryan Kuhel, a colleague who is in the same rotational program as me, was the first one of the group to pass the Recruiter Certification Exam, our team applauded his efforts and recognized him for his accomplishment. Ryan received well-deserved recognition. He set a great example for our class and soon after, many of us followed suit and got certified too.

• And when another colleague of mine, Annie Shih, was the first to make a hire out of our BLP class, our boss gave her an awesome sauce award. By the way, since then, Annie has made 11 hires... yeah… ELEVEN. Annie, you’re a BLP rockstar.

• When I got my first hire, I too, was awed by the congratulatory feedback I received. A couple people even took me out for celebratory drinks after work. I felt spoiled, yet extremely grateful, for their encouragement and support. My hiring managers also gave me an awesome Dr. Seuss thank you card. It was the best thank you card I’ve ever received and sits on my desk to remind me the importance of gratitude (isn’t it great?).

Company Of My Dreams Exemplifies Gratitude and GenerosityBy Rose Choi (BLP July Class of 2014)

www.linkedin.com/in/rosechoi

The generous and simplistic gesture of saying “thank you” cannot be understated. It really does make a person’s day.

Probably one of the most special moments for me was in August. It was my second InDay. For those who don’t know what InDay is, it’s one day out of the month where LinkedIn gives employees the chance to transform themselves, the company, or the world. Employees are encouraged to stop working for a couple hours and join an InDay event that makes some type of positive impact. Employees can participate in an organized event or they can do something with a group of their own.

On this InDay, my co-worker Bryan Romeike and I wanted to give back to the local community. We sat and brainstormed ways we could do this. Finally, we came up with a cool idea. Since we are fortunate enough to have free lunch offered at LinkedIn, we thought, “How awesome would it be if LinkedIn donated its leftovers!!!!”

We excitedly headed downstairs to ask the chefs if we could donate the leftovers. I approached one of the chefs and asked, “What are you going to do with all of this?”

Bryan and I were both stunned by his reply. “LinkedIn donates it.”

Wait, what?

I chuckled and felt silly that we didn’t know this already. At the same time, my heart filled up with warm appreciation for LinkedIn and I thought to myself, what an incredible company I work for. Bryan and I headed back upstairs on the elevator to recalibrate our InDay idea. We ended up buying a couple boxes of pizza, headed to the streets of San Francisco, and handed out free slices to whoever wanted one. Who doesn’t love pizza, right?

Company Of My Dreams Exemplifies Gratitude and GenerosityBy Rose Choi (BLP July Class of 2014)

www.linkedin.com/in/rosechoi

The truth is—it’s easy to forget about the importance of gratitude and generosity.

The world moves quicker than ever these days and sometimes it feels as though the hours in our day are gone in minutes. But, in the midst of all the daily commotion, we must not forget about generosity and gratitude. And we shouldn’t limit it to a couple moments here and there, but rather make it a consistent part of our lives.

Being at LinkedIn is a constant reminder of gratitude and generosity for me. I am fortunate enough to work next to people who live out these qualities and I’m lucky to have special moments that warm my heart.

I encourage you to apply this to your own life. You can make a difference with the smallest actions. Someone told me a quote a couple months ago that resonated with me: "Tiny drops of water make the mighty ocean.“

Small acts of kindness are built through gratitude and generosity. So pay it forward. Let someone know how thankful you are toward them. It’ll make their day. And be generous. Even to strangers…who may sometimes need the generosity more than anyone else. You never know what is going on in someone else's life. Take time to reflect on these things, and realize that small gestures can make all the difference. There is no better time to start making generosity and gratitude a daily part of your life. After all, tis' the season.

Generosity in the Business Leadership ProgramBy Mahima Govil (BLP July Class of 2014)

www.linkedin.com/in/mahimagovil

Take a second and think about how you got to where you are today. Appreciate all the people whose generosity and support enabled you to get out of your comfort zone, overcome setbacks, achieve successes, and pursue your next play.

During our first Business Leadership Program – Sales, Marketing, and Operations All-Hands, we were asked to bring a picture that represents how we got to where we are today. All-Hands is a semi-regular meeting, where the BLP classes from NAMER and EMEA gather and discuss updates. I shared a picture of my parents holding me as a newborn baby. My parents mean the world to me. Their sacrifices and guidance allowed me to take the biggest risk of my life: I moved across the country to San Francisco and joined LinkedIn’s July 2014 BLP – SMO class.

Generosity in the Business Leadership ProgramBy Mahima Govil (BLP July Class of 2014)

www.linkedin.com/in/mahimagovil

Many of my co-workers had similar stories: best friends, previous bosses, sorority lineages and family members had led them all to the BLP – SMO family. Listening to their personal journeys was exciting, but I was especially moved by the gratitude that my peers displayed and their desire to pay it forward.

LinkedIn constantly teaches me that relationships matter—and they do. I work in an environment that encourages me to actually cherish and cultivate the connections I develop. BLP – SMO has introduced me to friends that I will have for the rest of my life. I participated in Anne Hofinga’sannual family tradition of celebrating her birthday at Stinson Beach. Grace McGill encouraged me to test my athletic ability and hike for 16 miles. Shira Kogan, Stephen Huang, Lucy Ni, and Rebecca Willard biked to downtown Sunnyvale to surprise me with bundt cakes for my birthday. These are acts of kindness that are simply a result of the positivity and camaraderie that we have developed within my BLP – SMO class.

This Thanksgiving, take a second to appreciate the people whose generosity has allowed you to accomplish your dreams. To my fellow BLPs, thank you. You are more than just co-workers to me. You inspire me and motivate me, and I look forward to all the places I will go because of you. To the future BLPs, I can’t wait to welcome you to our happy family!

The One with All the Gratitude: On Generosity, LinkedIn, and MeBy Shira Kogan (BLP July Class of 2014)

www.linkedin.com/in/shirabkogan

In “The One Where Phoebe Hates PBS,” an episode of my favorite television show, Joey challenges Phoebe to find one truly selfless good deed. Through the twists and turns of the 22 minutes, Phoebe allows a bee to sting her (obviously killing the poor bumblebee) and donates a ton of money to her most hated TV station, PBS (an act by which she gets Joey on TV, which makes her feel great). In the end, Phoebe concedes that maybe, just maybe, there really is no such thing as a “selfless good deed.”

We’ve all felt it, that warm fuzzy feeling you get when you help someone else out. Maybe we’ve even had the thought that our present generosity may lead to future success and promotion, that our “selfless” good deeds would get us ahead. So, as the season of giving and generosity comes up on our calendars, I can’t help but wonder whether my favorite show (which is “Friends,” and shame on you if you didn’t figure that one out) may have a point. What does it mean for me as an individual, or for a company like LinkedIn, to value generosity?

A few weeks ago, I had an incredibly rewarding experience when I co-organized an event for eight high schools students from the San Francisco-based charter school “Life Learning Academy” (LLA). I worked with another member of the LinkedIn Business Leadership Program, Mario Rosser, to plan the event for October’s InDay. For those of you who may not be familiar with this concept, an “InDay” is a day each month when LI employees are given time to step back from their day job roles and give back to the community. For this InDay event, we drew on a “LinkedIn Coaches” curriculum developed by Ariana Younai, Luke Baxter, and Shreya Oswal. The event paired eight awesome LI volunteers with the LLA students to help them build their LI profiles, guiding the students through how to transform their resumes into strong, online professional brands.

The One with All the Gratitude: On Generosity, LinkedIn, and MeBy Shira Kogan (BLP July Class of 2014)

www.linkedin.com/in/shirabkogan

In between running around with my phone, taking headshots for the students to use on their profiles, I spent most of the event being absolutely stunned and inspired by the students’ professional aspirations and creativity. Seeing the students open up and bond with their LI “buddies,” I felt such a sense of gratitude: to the LI employees for taking time out of their days to work with the students, to the students for sharing their motivation and passion with us, and to the staff at LLA for collaborating with us on the event. At the end of the event, each participant shared something they had learned from their buddy. Every comment was filled to the brim with that same sense of gratitude, as LI employees expressed how impressed they were with the LLA students’ determination and hard work, and LLA students conveyed their excitement to have been brought into such a welcoming environment.

Since the event, that feeling of gratitude has remained ever-present for me; I feel so incredibly lucky to work in an environment where generosity is valued and encouraged, where time is specifically set aside for us to give back to our community. Not only is generosity in and of itself an important value, but on top of that, LinkedIn also knows that its employees, and the company as a whole, benefit from such an investment in giving back. There is an understanding that acts of generosity contribute to our positive transformation as individuals, as a company, and as a community.

With this realization, I find myself circling back to the truth in Phoebe’s experience: maybe there is no “selfless good deed.” But that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. At the end of the day, PBS got money to keep Oscar grouching and the Count counting, and Joey got his shot at being on TV. Similarly, at LinkedIn, there is a strong belief that teaching fosters learning, that collaboration nurtures personal development, and that sharing perspectives cultivates mutual understanding. And for that, I am very grateful.

This Thanksgiving, I’m Grateful for the Business Leadership ProgramBy Rebecca Willard (BLP July Class of 2014)

www.linkedin.com/in/willardrebecca/

As Thanksgiving quickly approaches, the Business Leadership Program associates have been focusing our efforts on recruiting top talent and selling incredible products. Despite our full schedules, the idea of generosity has risen to the forefront of our minds. The Business Leadership Program (BLP) at LinkedIn runs on generosity, whether it is Gordon Tobin and Karen Borsetti offering us daily inspirational advice, LinkedIn leaders (including Jeff Weiner!) dedicating part of their schedules to meet us and share wisdom, or BLP associates setting aside some time to write a post about this program.

But I shouldn’t be so surprised by the thoughtfulness and generosity of those within the Business Leadership Program, because it is a manifestation of the LinkedIn environment. What makes LinkedIn distinct is our collaborative culture; our dedication to giving back to our community through our monthly InDays (my recent InDays have involved participating in a LinkedIn walk to raise money for breast cancer research and volunteering at a local non-profit that provides support to cancer patients and their families); and our commitment to our mission, to connect the world's professionals to make them more productive and successful. These qualities are all recognized within the BLP program through our friendships, our exposure to incredible mentors, and our ability to make a lasting impact.

This Thanksgiving, I’m Grateful for the Business Leadership ProgramBy Rebecca Willard (BLP July Class of 2014)

www.linkedin.com/in/willardrebecca/

I never imagined that I would have such a transformational experience in my first job out of college. The Business Leadership Program encapsulates all what makes LinkedIn a truly incredible place to work. It represents the generous spirit that surrounds the company, and enables recent graduates to jump on and take a hold of our future. From my first day, I have immediately felt like I was an important part within LinkedIn and that I was making a difference. This Thanksgiving, I want to give thanks to Gordon Tobin, Karen Borsetti, Jack Hanratty, and my fellow BLP associates for giving me an incredible opportunity to change the world.

Small Acts of BLP KindnessBy Bari Saltman (BLP September Class of 2014)

www.linkedin.com/in/barisaltman

As a Recruiting Associate, I am frequently asked by candidates to name my favorite thing about working at LinkedIn. My go-to answer -- which is something that I felt after only a few days at the company -- is that LinkedIn employees bring their whole selves to work. On the first day of Induction for the September 2014 Business Leadership Program (Sales, Marketing & Operations), Karen Borsetti, Head of BLP NAMER, told my class that there is no divide between a LinkedIn employee’s personal identity and professional persona. Karen shared pictures of her wedding and stories about her family and crazy athletic endeavors. Since her presentation, I have found that all of my other coworkers are also open and honest about their personal interests and values, and they encourage me to share what’s important to me, too.

I’m reminded that my fellow BLP Associates are generous and supportive friends every day, by small and unexpected acts of kindness:

– During the first two months of my Recruiting rotation, I supported the General & Administrative (G&A) team in addition to Executive Search. G&A had daunting hiring goals for the quarter, and Ruslan Zagatskiy, a G&A Recruiting Associate (RA), was incredibly welcoming when I joined the team. Rus consistently shared feedback, insights and resources and insights (such as templates and tracking tools) that made me a more successful Recruiting Associate. I also knew that I could always drop by his desk to chat when I had a challenging day or an accomplishment.

Small Acts of BLP KindnessBy Bari Saltman (BLP September Class of 2014)

www.linkedin.com/in/barisaltman

– On Friday afternoons, many San Francisco employees like to unwind and enjoy a beer with their colleagues. A few weeks ago, I foolishly scheduled meetings during a company happy hour. At one point, I looked up from my computer and Mitch Krause had stepped away from the festivities to deliver a drink to my desk – a thoughtful reminder that my coworkers are never only thinking of themselves.

– There is always at least one BLP Associate kicking butt at inShape, a fitness class held at LinkedIn every morning. During my first class, I fell behind my coworkers at one point and Catherine Geewax shouted encouraging words until I finished the exercise. I now tell Catherine whenever I’m signing up for a fitness class at LinkedIn because she gives me the extra bit of motivation that I need (though I’m usually still sore for a week).

Even the smallest of these acts have made me feel incredibly fortunate to work with this group of people. I now understand the importance of finding a work environment where support and generosity are the norm, and where my relationships with my colleagues will become long-lasting friendships.

GenerosityBy Janice Bae (BLP September Class of 2014)

www.linkedin.com/in/xjanicebae

Our mentor Jamie sat us down amidst her packed schedule and said to me, Jeremy, Catherine, and Molly, “Set November 1st as your deadline to be fully confident in your storytelling to candidates. After then, either Erika or Doris will shadow each of you on one of your calls.” Jeremy, Catherine, Molly, and I are Recruiting Associates of the Campus Technical Recruiting team focusing on recruiting university students and new graduates into LinkedIn. We are all members of the Business Leadership Program (BLP), a rotational program meant for new college grads to rotate through different roles before “graduating” into a permanent position, and we had entered Recruiting as our first rotation.

My immediate thought was ‘Can Erika and Doris hear us talking on the phone to candidates? I wonder if we’re setting this deadline because our storytelling doesn’t sound so great…’ I had to admit, I felt a bit of anxiety considering Erika, our manager, and Doris, our senior manager, were indubitably some of the best storytellers on our Campus Recruiting team. As Jamie proposed shadowing one of each of our calls beforehand, I realized though that I had overlooked the generosity behind this deadline.

GenerosityBy Janice Bae (BLP September Class of 2014)

www.linkedin.com/in/xjanicebae

Jamie and everyone on our team were keeping on top of their toes every day given that it was prime recruiting season involving frequent out-of-state traveling and inter-commuting between our Bay Area offices. Offering to shadow our calls and provide thorough feedback demonstrated their willingness to invest the time to help improve our skills. We had already conducted phone screenings for several weeks so it would’ve been understandable and unproblematic had we continued without individual evaluation. Although a simple gesture, this kind of generosity aligned precisely with LinkedIn’s overarching emphasis on investing in its talent which I had witnessed since Day 1.

Especially as a member of BLP, I had the privilege of being surrounded by fellow college grads all eager to learn and take on vast responsibilities. Thanks to the managers of BLP, my first two weeks in induction were both extremely insightful and fun. Presentations by senior leadership and classy happy hours were just a few of the many memorable experiences.

Despite that I’ve only just passed my 2-month anniversary at LinkedIn, I’ve felt truly invested in throughout my time here. The generosity of those I’ve met and inundated with numerous questions motivates me to reciprocate by demonstrating that their decision to invest in me was a choice well made.

Giving ThanksBy Talia Sehayik (BLP July Class of 2014)

www.linkedin.com/in/taliasehayik

The theme of this post is generosity. Instead of writing about one experience, I thought my time would be more useful by giving thanks to those who have shown me generosity over the past few months during my career. Through which, I hope my message will be clear….

Gordon Tobin: Thank you for selecting me to be a part of the Business Leadership Program and for giving me an opportunity to change my life. You are an extraordinary public speaker that seems to sweat inspiration. Thank you for your wise advice and for giving all of us the support and encouragement we need to shoot for the stars and to be successful in our careers.

Karen Borsetti: Thank you for taking the time to check in with all of us one-on-one, while simultaneously heading up the Business Leadership Program in North America. Thank you for introducing me to surfing, and for waking up early/staying late to lead a run and push me to the limit (I’m just happy I can keep up with you, and not hold you back). Thank you for supporting me in my efforts to transform BLP on a global scale.

Jack Hanratty: Thank you for allowing me to pick your brains during the first few weeks of induction. The extra time we got to spend together on the shuttle down to the South Bay made the entire commute worthwhile! Thank you for your support and encouragement in making our dreams a reality.

Debbie Borges: You are a tech wiz! Induction was three of the wildest weeks of our lives and because of you the entire event ran smoothly. Without you, none of us would ever know how to navigate oracle or any of the other internal web portals.

Giving ThanksBy Talia Sehayik (BLP July Class of 2014)

www.linkedin.com/in/taliasehayik

Rose Choi: Thank you for being you and giving me solid advice when I need to take a step back and reanalyze a situation. You are an amazing roommate and I appreciative that I can seek you out when I need a bit of sense knocked into me.

Maxwell Zhou: Thank you for being one of kind – you are by far the most brilliant person I have ever come across in my life. Thank you for finding our apartment, explaining the stock market to me, attempting to teach me how to code, all my Chinese lessons, and for the countless trips to and from the airport.

BLP July 2014: Thank you all for being fun, outgoing, social, personable, driven, intelligent, collaborative, helpful, kind, and generous. You are extraordinary individuals, and I feel very lucky to be a part of your class here at LinkedIn.

BLP EMEA 2014: Thank you for partnering with us in North America and working on projects that will increase our brand both internally and externally.

Michael Laracuente: You da bestest for helping me score this amazing job at LinkedIn (I still owe you a really expensive dinner). It’s awesome to be in the office and to have a friend from school that can advise me in ways that keep my best interest at heart.

Giving ThanksBy Talia Sehayik (BLP July Class of 2014)

www.linkedin.com/in/taliasehayik

Austin Pogue: Thank you for being a rock star and for allowing me to shadow a number of your calls. Despite the fact that you nearly killed me in the car on the way to Mammoth by hitting a deer, you have more than repaid me with all the times that you explained and educated me on the sales process and best sales practices.

Arthur Gallanter: Thank you for being the best onboarding buddy (OBB) any new hire could have asked for. As the eldest in BLP, you come with more experiences than most, so thank you for shedding some light on the corporate world…. And thanks for always being down to play a game of ping pong with me!

Mac Witmer: Thank you for your endless amount of career advice and sales tips. You are truly one of a kind and my time spent getting to know you and learn from you has been some of my most valuable moments at LinkedIn.

Samuel Easton: Thank you for always being available to take my calls and for advising me on putting together an executive summary. You have been a great leader and friend and I look forward to working closely with you in the future.

Mary Beth Corbett: Thank you for your ample amounts of positive energy and for helping build strong team morale between the entire July 14 BLP cohort. I hope to follow in your footsteps and uphold your upbeat personality and firecracker spunk.

Giving ThanksBy Talia Sehayik (BLP July Class of 2014)

www.linkedin.com/in/taliasehayik

NY Team (Surain, Naseem, Derrick, Jonathan, Hillary, Chris, and Ellen Burke): Thank you all for welcoming me at the NY office and for helping me adjust so seamlessly. I am blown away by the amount of one-on-one time I got to spend with all of you. All of you shared incredible career advice that challenged the way I thought about myself and where I see myself 5-10 years down the road.

Kevin Varadian: Thank you for sharing your life swap experience with me and for advising me on ways to put together a similar program for BLP.

Shammy Khan and Dhara Desai: Thank you both for supporting me in my efforts to transform BLP on a global scale. Your interest and encouragement in my project, without knowing anything about me, is something I will never forget.

Morgan Woodward: Thank you for including me on the LI intramural soccer team and introducing me to some of the best people I’ve met out here in San Francisco. Thank you for providing sound advice about the global customer operations organization. I look forward to working with you soon.

Timothy Dearborn: Thank you for being an incredible resource and mentor since my interview just over a year ago.

Kristy Mickey: Thank you for helping guide me to the right people to get my side project off the ground.

Giving ThanksBy Talia Sehayik (BLP July Class of 2014)

www.linkedin.com/in/taliasehayik

Danielle Clark: Thank you for your help in reaching out to the immigration and relocation team to figure out VISA related questions for my side project.

Product Recruiting Team: Thank you for onboarding me to LI and ensuring that I understood both my role as a recruiter and the roles I was recruiting for.

Sales Recruiting Team: Thank you for allowing me and my team to join all of you in the effort to expand our sales organization. Thank you for believing in all of us to achieve our goals by the end of the year!

LinkedIn Executive Team: Thank you all for believing in the strength of BLP and for providing all of us with awesome opportunities out of college. A big thanks for all of the time you spent delivering your speeches during induction and for inspiring all of us with your words of wisdom, guidance, and advice.

I have met dozens of unbelievably intelligent individuals at LinkedIn, all of whom have a full time position at this company. Despite their busy schedules, they have all taken time out of their day to mentor me, coach me, advise me, and provide me with valuable insights into my career. Thank you to all of the wonderful professionals I have had the privilege of getting to know over the past few months and for the time you have given to me.