CEOs need to be visible – both in the press and on social media – especially LinkedIn.
I was professionally provoked the other day when I read an article titled “Hocus Pocus, Is Your CEO Too Much in Focus?” by Kforum (Denmark’s leading media platform and professional network for people working in communication, PR, marketing, and media).
With its rhetorical questioning, overall tone, and lack of concrete examples, I believe the piece contributes to a misguided perception – namely that CEOs tend to overcommunicate or speak out for their own gain, at the expense of the company’s reputation.
In fact, I would argue the opposite is true: that many companies would benefit greatly from increasing the visibility of their top executives and empowering them to use LinkedIn more actively. Here are four reasons why.
1. Value-based communication & license to play
For companies — especially larger ones — it’s essential to continuously communicate their values and contribution to society. Demonstrating corporate responsibility in addressing issues like the climate crisis, social inequality, and other societal challenges is increasingly necessary to maintain a “license to play” and grow the business.
When it comes to communicating values that often lie outside the company’s core business, the CEO plays a vital role. It’s the CEO that customers, policymakers, media, and partners want to hear from when it comes to the bigger picture. And that kind of communication can’t be limited to an annual ESG report. It requires consistent visibility if you want to engage in value-based communication and take responsibility as a modern business.
2. CEOs create transparency and attract talent
We’re in the midst of a talent shortage across many industries — a serious business issue for both individual companies and the wider economy. In a job market where applicants have the upper hand and can afford to be selective, company leaders need to open the doors via platforms like LinkedIn. They need to “give the tour,” share insights, and show what kind of workplace, culture, and values the organization stands for.
Just as companies screen applicants via LinkedIn, job seekers check out their potential future bosses too. In that competition, the communicative leader will always win over the silent one.
When the article I mentioned earlier claims, “Social media has created the overexposed CEO who runs wild on LinkedIn at all hours,” it completely misses the bigger picture: that long-term employer branding is a top priority for many organizations — and leadership communication is a key part of that.
3. CEOs should be role models and recognize employees
I fully agree with the part of the article that says large organizations need many voices: multiple spokespeople for the press and various communicators on social media. The CEO should focus on the big topics — strategic and value-driven — rather than commenting on everyday matters.
That’s why leading companies like Carlsberg, Google, NOVO and many others increasingly prioritize leadership communication — supporting their CEOs on social media with dedicated comms resources, while assigning other spokespersons to lower-priority issues.
These are also the same organizations that actively encourage communicative employees — be they thought leaders, employee advocates, or ambassadors. But these programs are almost impossible to activate and sustain unless the top leadership sets the tone and leads by example through regular communication on the platforms where employees are also encouraged to be visible.
Despite the many barriers to doing so — not least the fear of being accused of self-promotion — without visible leadership and a willingness to create internal followership, a CEO is making a tactical mistake that weakens the organization’s overall communications.
And that’s without even mentioning the power of using social media to publicly recognize your own employees — something that can strengthen company cohesion and improve retention.
4. Clear leadership makes crisis landings softer
One of the golden rules of crisis communication: when people know the face at the top of the organization, the blow hits softer. And all companies, sooner or later, will face a crisis.
Beyond the reputational and branding benefits of having a well-known CEO on LinkedIn, it also works preventively in the realm of issues management. A visible and accessible leader builds goodwill over time — making it harder for the media, customers, and other critical stakeholders to exploit weak points during turbulent times.
If you want to capitalize on your CEO’s goodwill and personal channels in times of crisis, those platforms need to be built during times of calm. No leader can defuse a crisis using a dormant LinkedIn profile with 125 followers. These channels must be alive and well — ready to activate your network and bypass the media’s editorial filter.
I hope — and believe — that CEOs understand the value of visibility and of engaging with the many stakeholders that surround a modern business. And I know they’re supported by skilled communications professionals who can advise them on when “too little” is indeed too little — and when “too much” might be just enough.
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