There’s a curious phenomenon on LinkedIn that says more about professional etiquette than people realize. It’s the art of “comment without the courtesy of a tag.” It goes like this..... you post something, someone challenges you, and you respond. Then, instead of engaging in the professional back-and-forth LinkedIn is designed for, they drop their rebuttal… without tagging you.
On the surface, it looks like they’re continuing the discussion. But in reality, they’re sidestepping it. Why? Because if they don’t tag you, you don’t get a notification, meaning they can take a parting shot without fear of an immediate, well-reasoned reply. It’s the digital equivalent of whispering something as they leave the room.
Let’s be clear..... this isn’t debate, it’s performance. The audience sees them “respond,” but the person they’re addressing never even knows it happened. It’s a tactic for people who want to appear as if they’ve had the last word without risking the discomfort of being proven wrong.
You can spot this behavior in the little details. For example: in my own comments, when I reference someone, their name shows up in blue, meaning they’re tagged, notified, and given a fair chance to reply. In their response? My name is mysteriously plain text. Not blue. Not clickable. Not notified.
This is a hallmark of LinkedIn’s “for show” commenters, the people more interested in being seen as “right” than actually engaging in honest dialogue. True professionals don’t shy away from rebuttal....... they welcome it. Because in real debate, the point isn’t to look smart. The point is to get it right.
If you’re confident in your position, you tag. You engage. You stand in the arena and let your ideas be tested. Anything else? It’s just theater.
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