With 2020 being the toughest year in recent memory for most, a new LinkedIn Profile might be the furthest thing from your mind as a c-suite leader. To find out why you might be wrong, READ ON.
Psynet has put forward a “triple crown” framework of thoroughbred leadership. The three crowns are critical thinking, agility, and relatability. Please refresh your memory on Psynet Group’s last blog.
What do LinkedIn and thoroughbred leadership have to do with one another?
- With social distancing, c-suite executives have less face time with employees, prospects, clients and investors. All of these constituents are spending more time online, including on LinkedIn. They may be more likely to come across your LinkedIn Profile than ever before.
- As the mean age of the workforce gets lower, many of the new age workers will want to see signs that their leaders are authentic. Showing yourself as agile and relatable are pluses and address a growing issue. According to a recent Glint survey, 31% of employees are beginning to experience less connection to leaders as the pandemic drags on.
- With so much clutter and time spent online, even well-known CEOs need to take every opportunity to stand out.
If you are like most c-suite leaders, you do not have an engaging LinkedIn Profile. How can you get started?
- Rewrite your “About” section so that it mentions some of the key challenges you have encountered and how you addressed these. Talk about an obstacle or transition point that you faced and overcame.
- In addition to the narrative, LinkedIn Profiles are increasingly visual. Most CEOs have videos produced for other purposes. You can link to videos that show you as a critical thinker and person with emotional intelligence (EI). The new LinkedIn Featured section can display an image from any link, so articles, photos, and interviews can reveal your human side.
- You can start with something discrete like bringing a Volunteer Experience to life. Check out this CEO’s personal statement about his commitment to fighting cancer.
Since the pandemic, many executives featured in Harvard Business Review and elsewhere are not afraid to show EI and even vulnerability. Why not carry that spirit into your LinkedIn presence?
Once you have improved your Profile, do not forget to engage meaningfully on LinkedIn.
The posts from Ed Bastion of Delta Airlines provide a great example. They are either from his heart (or a great ghostwriter). Just peruse the comments he receives and how his leadership is admired and appreciated.
Engage with LinkedIn today and raise your thoroughbred leadership profile!
About the Author
Special thanks to guest author and friend of Psynet Group, Bruce Segall. As president of Marketing Sense, Bruce helps both companies and executives communicate what is special about their brands.