Building Influence Through the Executive Voice
Leading a company demands more than just competent decision-making. C-suite executives need to go beyond their corporate image to establish a personal brand. By elevating their own voices, executives can inextricably link their voices to the company's brand. Not only does that practice make them indispensable to their current company, but it also helps them build a reputation as sought-after leaders that other companies will covet.
Becoming a Leading Voice
As leaders, executives often need to communicate their company's values, vision, and direction. While they’re often good at communicating within their company, they can help personify their company’s brand voice by learning how to express those insights to a broader audience. Through platforms like LinkedIn, Medium, or the company blog, executives have the opportunity to convey their expertise, showcase their leadership style, and amplify their unique perspectives authentically. These platforms provide a direct channel to consumers, stakeholders, and the press, allowing executives to shape and control the narrative around their brand. By making their voice the conduit for these communications, executives effectively link themselves with the company's brand, making their role vital and their personal brand synonymous with the company's.
Press Coverage and Expert Positioning
When a leader effectively elevates their voice, industry influencers and media take notice. Journalists and industry commentators are constantly seeking expert insights. By positioning themselves as an authoritative voice on public platforms, these executives become a go-to source. In fact, journalists are increasingly finding sources on LinkedIn and are more likely to connect if the public profile shows consistent thoughtful insight. That’s why everything from a social post to a sit-down interview has value. These tactics increase the visibility and enhance the reputation of both the executive leader and the company.
Establishing credibility within a specific industry is another major benefit. Writing with substance - especially when their commentary cuts against the grain or evokes deep thought - makes a leader and the company stand out as visionaries within their industry. When customers, competitors, and collaborators think of who is at the forefront of a particular field, executives have an opportunity to be at the top of that list, right alongside their company.
Ongoing Value
A powerful voice is as valuable of an asset as experience and skills. More often than not, prospective partners and future employers will gauge an executive’s value from the perspectives and authority they display in public spaces. That’s why having a distinct and well-crafted brand voice has both present and future value. Writing with confidence also adds notable value to an individual’s personal brand should they transition out of their current company. Those paying attention and reading an executive’s social posts and content will quickly recognize their ability to shape a brand, communicate vision, and lead effectively.
In an age where brands need to personify themselves to connect with their audience, the C-suite voice becomes a dynamic tool for corporate storytelling, crucial for gaining press, establishing industry leadership, and providing a level of personal value that endures beyond a single role or company.
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