Why – and How – It Pays to Be a Social Leader

by | Jul 28, 2021 | LinkedIn, Personal branding, Social CEO, Social media, Social media engagement

Savvy CEOs and Leaders Know They Need a Personal, Professional Presence on Social Media

 

“I’m too busy.”

“Social media is a time waster.”

“I don’t see any payoff for posting on LinkedIn.”

“We have a corporate communications department for that.”

These are a few of the reasons I hear to explain why CEOs and other senior leaders continue to avoid investing in LinkedIn. There’s a hint of truth (social media can be a time waster), and yet, there’s a lot of misinformation and worse, missed opportunities.

Chances are your corporate communications group is doing a great job building a presence for the organization on social media. But today, savvy CEOs and leaders know they need a personal, professional presence, too.

Why? Because their stakeholders — customers, employees, investors, partners, the media — are looking for them to see:

  • Who they are and what matters to them
  • What they are thinking and what are they doing
  • How they address issues and respond to bad news
  • How they treat employees and celebrate good news
  • How they matter in the industry — and the world

Social media, specifically LinkedIn, offers leaders an open line to speak directly to all their stakeholders. Done well, your social media presence can inspire loyalty and trust, invite engagement and investment, and help you achieve your goals — faster.

And conversely, a CEO’s silence (or absence) in social media speaks volumes, too. Or, at least it’s judged in volumes. Behind the times, outdated, irrelevant, uninterested.

When you don’t engage where your stakeholders are, you miss opportunities to influence, to engage, to invite, to inspire. And know, your competitors are filling your silence with their messages to influence, engage, invite, and inspire.

Still unsure?

Then let me offer you a quick read on how LinkedIn can become an essential tool to achieve your goals. Follow this link to download a free ebook, The Social Leader: How great leaders use LinkedIn to engage employees, build trust, and inspire success :

By the time you finish this book (a 30-minute read), you’ll understand:

  • Why a strong professional social media presence serves you
  • How to think about your personal social media strategically
  • What are practical steps for putting LinkedIn to work for you
  • And how to do it without investing a lot of your time.

Download it today! You’ve got nothing to lose — except missed opportunities.

 

Who else should read this? Please share!

Recent Posts

Which CXO Roles Boards Really Want

When executives talk about preparing for a board role, the conversation usually jumps straight to networking. Who do you know? Who knows you? Who might make the introduction? That’s important, but it’s only part of the story. Boards are increasingly explicit about the...

What CEOs Need to Know About LinkedIn After Raising a Series B

You’ve raised your Series B. You have capital, customers, and a team that’s growing fast. You’re hiring senior leaders. You’re thinking about scale. And you’re probably doing 14 jobs at once. So why worry about visibility now? Because what you say – and how you show...

You Raised Your Series A. Now It’s Time to Be Seen.

There is a lot to do right now. You’re leading product. You’re still selling. You’re hiring your first layer of leadership. You’re trying to build fast without breaking anything. You’re in the thick of it, and it’s easy to let visibility slip down on the list. But if...

In the CEO Gig Economy, Brand Is the Only Thing You Own

Fortune just sounded the alarm: in the first half of 2025, a full 33% of new CEOs were interim appointments. Let that sink in. A third of new CEO roles are occupied by people who aren’t expected to stay. Boards are embracing flexibility, cycling in operators for...