LinkedIn Success for New Leaders
From developing a strategy to learning how to engage and brand yourself, this final post in our series focuses on setting new leaders up for LinkedIn success. If you're stepping into a leadership role or just starting your journey on the platform, the conversation with Stuart Elliott on the Talent Talk podcast offers practical guidance to help you build credibility, grow your network, and establish your digital leadership presence.
🎧 Listen to the full episode on Spotify to hear the full conversation with Stuart Elliott.
Why LinkedIn Matters for New Leaders
When entering a leadership role, your presence on LinkedIn becomes more than a formality—it's a strategic asset. It signals your leadership style, professional values, and ability to connect with others. I emphasise that new leaders who invest early in building their profiles and networks often gain faster traction and visibility.
One guest shared that after revamping their profile and posting weekly, they received over 1,200 new followers in a few months. Another landed a board advisory role through consistent thought leadership posts.
Five Steps to LinkedIn Success for New Leaders
I and Stuart outlined clear steps that any new leader—regardless of LinkedIn experience—can implement:
1. Optimize Your Profile
Think of your profile as your digital first impression. Use a professional photo and craft a headline that reflects both your role and values (e.g., "New Director | Driving Purpose-Led Growth"). Use keywords that reflect your expertise so others can easily find you.
Your About section should be more than a biography—share your leadership story, mission, and what you bring to the table. One new leader attracted 15 recruiter messages within weeks of making these changes.
2. Start with Simple Posts
You don’t need to publish thought pieces right away. I recommend short posts (100–200 words) that reflect a recent leadership challenge, a learning moment, or a team win. Keep it conversational.
One podcast guest’s first post, sharing a team lesson about resilience, received over 400 likes and opened the door to new conversations.
3. Connect with Intention
New leaders often inherit a limited network. I suggest proactively reaching out to peers, mentors, and stakeholders. Send personalized connection requests with a brief note (e.g., "I appreciated your recent article on leadership.")
A guest who set a goal of connecting with 10 new professionals per week ended up collaborating on two webinars within three months.
4. Engage Actively
Visibility comes from interaction. Commenting on others’ content helps you stay visible and relevant. I recommend engaging with five posts per day—commenting, reacting, or sharing an insight.
One leader’s consistent engagement strategy led to a 300-follower increase and an invitation to speak at an industry event.
5. Learn from Your Feed
Use LinkedIn as a leadership lab. Observe how others communicate, what types of posts resonate, and adapt these insights to your own voice. I encourage leaders to follow a few key voices in their industry for inspiration.
Building Long-Term Momentum
Once you’re comfortable, I suggests scaling your efforts with these tactics:
Increase Posting Frequency: Gradually move from one post per week to two or three.
Experiment with Formats: Add polls, carousel posts, or short videos to keep content fresh.
Track Analytics: Use LinkedIn's built-in tools to measure engagement and growth.
Join Communities: Participate in relevant groups to expand your influence.
Request Feedback: Ask a trusted mentor or peer to review your profile or recent post.
One guest who followed this approach doubled their engagement in 90 days and secured a podcast feature.
Mistakes to Avoid
I highlight a few common traps new leaders fall into:
Salesy Posts: Avoid constant self-promotion. Share stories, insights, and lessons instead.
Neglecting Engagement: If you post but don’t interact, you miss relationship-building opportunities.
Waiting Too Long: Many leaders delay building their online presence until they "have something big to say."
The podcast featured a guest who admitted they waited too long to post consistently. Once they started, they quickly built a following and received unexpected opportunities.
Final Thoughts for New Leaders
Your role as a leader extends to your digital footprint. I encourage new leaders to show up with authenticity, curiosity, and value. Start today with a simple post or by updating your profile—you never know who’s watching.
To revisit earlier blogs in the series or hear the full conversation, tune into Talent Talk and discover how to lead with presence on LinkedIn.
Series Navigation
Part 1: Building a Winning LinkedIn Content Strategy
Part 2: Mastering LinkedIn Content Planning and Execution
Part 3: Overcoming LinkedIn Content Creation Challenges
Part 4: Engaging Your LinkedIn Audience and Building Your Brand