I do understand that sales people are sensitive to their competitors scooping their contacts, and as I mentioned in the comments, I’m much more neutral on the topic because if I’m interested in someone, I can still find them through search. The key point is to not connect with a competitor that you don’t trust. That’s where people get sensitive. And hopefully LinkedIn will implement varying privacy features based on their tags and connection filters.

Thanks for the comment!

Sincerely.

Why doesn’t LinkedIn have a “reciprocal” setting? That way, people who want to participate can, and those who don’t can continue to not participate, with no “penalty” to those who want to participate?

I’ve suggested it. Maybe it will be an option on LinkedIn someday!

Consider that, if you don’t want to link to that person who is your competitor or is “untrustworthy”, you don’t have to do so. Unsolicited notes or requests for introductions? If you don’t want to comply, don’t — and tell that contact why (just as you would in person, on the phone, by letter or email). It’s not difficult and takes little time. If they don’t understand or operate in a way that you disagree with, unlink with them.

For example, I’d been contacted by one LinkedIn-ian who claimed to have 17 million connections (indeed, that was part of the carrot dangled in the note — access to a network of 17 million). When one links in with that person, however, it turns out that you only gain access to your in-common contacts… and he would get access to your network if you have it “open”. Not cool. I asked him why — and his answer was similar to some others I’ve read on LinkedIn: My network is “confidential” (then don’t go to a networking site), and my contacts “don’t want unsolicited contacts” (either they know how to say “no”, or they shouldn’t be on a … networking site), or my contacts are “special”(if they’re *that* special, then they either know how to deal with that level of notoriety, or they shouldn’t be out in public). I consider my list to be pretty special, too — and, as a bonus, they’re actually here to socialize, to … linkin. People I know who don’t want to linkin, don’t join LinkedIn.

That guy with “17 million contacts”? I unlinked with him. In fact, I tend to unlink with anyone who won’t share. Don’t want to link? No problem. Want to link and gain benefit of me and my list without reciprocation? Not going to happen (do your own advanced search). People mine your contact list (well, excessively)? Unlink with them.

And as far as linking or not with competitors? Well, either you’re able to compete with them in your abilities, price, etc., or you can’t. If you can’t compete for any of those reasons, your contact list won’t save you. And in a social network, being “unsocial” defeats the purpose of being there.

All the best.