I was pretty shocked to learn that Michael Jackson died yesterday. I was even more shocked by how I found out about it.

I was searching for Nicole’s email address in Outlook when I came across her status on my Xobni Facebook feed. There it was.

R.I.P., MJ.

I check the news every day, multiple times a day and yet, increasingly, email and social networking sites are becoming an equally important source of information. This is true of pop-culture updates and also more “important news”. (Although, Michael Jackson’s death is certainly important news to me!)

News travels fast these days and we have greater access to more information. Social networking sites have made this true of personal information, as well.

As the line between one’s professional life and personal life becomes increasingly blurred, the personal lives of professional contacts might just become another source of “news”.

Perhaps we’re already moving towards a culture in which we expect people who we know professionally to be aware of what was previously considered personal information.

Cultivating information through Xobni’s Facebook feed, we can learn things that might benefit us professionally. Xobni creates a link between Outlook and Facebook. This can reveal important personal information about your contacts.

Perhaps there’s a client who you haven’t reached out to in a while. Viewing their Facebook status through Xobni you might learn that they just had a baby or went on a trip to Africa. You’ve just unveiled personal information that provides something to discuss other than work when you send that long overdue email or pick up the phone and give your client a ring.

Utilizing this Xobni feature is a valuable tool for professionals living in an age of online social networking. And, if your professional contacts happen to keep tabs on celebrity gossip, their Facebook feeds might also provide a nice break during a hectic day.