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Executive thought leadership is one of the best steps executives can take to build a lasting public profile that inspires trust, shapes industry conversations, and opens doors to meaningful opportunities.
But what separates the very best leaders from the worst?
In this article, we leverage our experience with global CEOs, COOs, Founders, and other entrepreneurs to share seven strategies you can use to perfect your executive thought leadership campaigns.
With our advice, you won't just raise your profile, but your entire team, industry, and network.
Before you consider an executive thought leadership campaign, ask yourself: What do you want to achieve?
While building your personal profile can be enjoyable and even ego-boosting, vanity alone isn’t a strategy.
To drive real business impact, your content needs to serve clear goals.
If your company is expanding into the US, a piece in Forbes or Entrepreneur showcasing your expansion strategy could help generate investor confidence and industry credibility in the new market.
If you're a founder preparing for Series B fundraising, your executive thought leadership might centre on scale-up lessons or customer retention, tailored for investors scanning LinkedIn or TechCrunch for strong expert insights.
Or, if you’re struggling to recruit in a competitive market like cybersecurity or AI, you might spotlight your company culture, DEI values, or innovation frameworks across social media, podcasts, and panels.
Content like “How we hire for potential, not just credentials” or “Why mental health awareness is the real productivity hack” can help shape perception and attract talent.
In short, content without commercial alignment is just content, whereas thought leadership that anchors to your objectives genuinely builds credibility and delivers real-world results.
During the early stages of an executive thought leadership campaign, we usually advise leaders to secure as many “low-hanging” media hits as possible to ease them into the rhythm of media engagement.
However, once they’ve established themselves within their sector, we push to secure coverage in the large publications you recognise, such as Bloomberg or The Sunday Times.
Sometimes, though, leaders push back on these opportunities.
This might surprise, especially considering that most executives pursue PR to get themselves in front of as many readers as possible. But it does happen.
The reasons vary.
Some leaders may lack the confidence to speak to tier 1 media.
Others might worry about statements that impact their stock price.
Or, they simply fear being misunderstood.
But while it’s fine to begin with trade coverage, failing to approach larger publications comes with a real risk: your audience may start to tune out.
You won't appear as credible as your competition. And that lack of trust can cost you.
Making bold, thoughtful statements in a publication like Bloomberg signals your intentions. Not everyone will agree with you, but most will respect your boldness.
Of course, this isn’t a licence for arrogance or recklessness, you still need control and composure. But you need to have a bit of steel.
Even if you’re leading a relatively small business, that doesn’t mean that you can’t or shouldn’t secure coverage in a major publication. In fact, journalists often seek out fresh, expert voices within small firms who have unique perspectives.
So, when the opportunity arises, go big. That includes podcasts, broadcast interviews, and editorial features alike.
It shouldn’t surprise you when we say that executive thought leadership is oversaturated.
Take one look at LinkedIn, and you’ll probably see four or five identical posts preaching about the importance of corporate culture or AI regulation.
Give it until tomorrow, and you probably won’t remember any of them.
That said, there will be the odd occasion when a post sticks.
You might share it on your own page, tell a colleague about it, or, more significantly, incorporate what you learned into your own business. This is what we call thought leadership gold dust.
But what made that particular post stand out? The clear answer: a distinct point of view.
In our work with executives, we ask every client to put their heads above the parapet to cut through the noise and differentiate themselves from an ocean of sameness.
Don’t get us wrong, this isn’t easy. But with strong effort, it can be done.
First thing to do? Ask yourself what you actually believe.
What’s your take on the future of your industry?
What do you think others are getting wrong?
What insight can you offer that most people haven’t considered?
Next, focus on originality.
This doesn’t mean being contrarian for contrarian's sake. But offering a perspective rooted in your lived experience, data, or lessons learned makes a big difference.
Then comes relevance.
Your point of view should respond to real-time conversations in your industry, economy, or society.
If AI regulation is being debated, what’s your take on how it will reshape your business? If you're not speaking to the moment, your insights will fade fast.
Finally, consistency matters.
One great post won’t make you a thought leader. But repeating and reinforcing your views across platforms, including LinkedIn, podcasts, media interviews, and events, helps your audience instantly recognise what you stand for.
So, the next time you’re drafting a post, prepping for a panel, or speaking to a journalist, ask yourself: Is this really saying something?
If the answer is yes, you’re on your way to executive thought leadership that sticks.
• What happens when you focus too heavily on media?
• How do audiences respond when you commit to becoming a Linkflencer?
• Can you still generate meaningful reach through owned content alone?
The simple answer to all three: your content risks becoming fragmented, performative, or simply ignored.
To generate real engagement, always ensure your campaigns incorporate more than one channel. This isn't about creating more content, but strengthening your overall body of work.
Your opinion piece in Reaction should be repurposed into four digestible posts shared over a month, each reinforcing a key idea.
Social content can echo the headlines from your media coverage, extending its shelf life and visibility.
Meanwhile, your owned content should serve as both a launchpad for fresh thinking and a home for fully developed ideas.
Of course, this takes more work.
But as we often say to clients, with executive thought leadership, the more you put in, the more you get out.
Just ask your marketing team. You'd be surprised at how many different channels audiences check when discovering or researching your name.
And if that audience happens to be an investor, consistent visibility could be the factor that gets them seriously interested in backing your firm.
You’re probably aware of the phrase “too many cooks.”
If you’re not, it essentially means too much meddling spoils the end product. And it’s a phrase that’s used in many settings.
But does it apply to thought leadership? Definitely not.
Look at it this way: executive thought leadership that truly resonates and goes viral usually depends on whether the executive in question is a true expert.
Sure, being a CEO or founder gives you a lot of leeway to discuss lots of different topics, and you should. But there’s a lot you can’t deep dive into.
If you’ve had some media training in the past, your team probably filled you in on complex topics you might be interviewed about.
Without them, the chances are that an interviewer would have caught you out.
But what would happen if you brought the experts in your team to the fore?
For starters, it’s not going to take away from your campaign. It’s going to strengthen it.
Your company is going to be viewed as a true authority within its specialist field and across microtopics as you are viewed as a better leader.
Meanwhile, your colleagues benefit by strengthening their own profiles.
The biggest companies are so successful because they take advantage of this all the time. Just look at Microsoft, which to this day, remains one of the largest tech firms in the world.
• CEO Satya Nadella specialises in leadership, AI, and culture.
• Vice Chair & President Brad Smith comments on tech policy, ethics, and regulation.
• CVP of Security Vasu Jakkal is a cybersecurity expert.
• Chief Partner Officer Nicole Dezen owns partner growth topics.
The point is that your team should always be ambassadors for your company. Embrace them to build a stronger presence or miss out.
Executive thought leadership for visibility's sake is almost always a lost cause.
Sure, the buzz around your initial media engagements is bound to be satisfying, especially if it's with a tier one outlet. But how long will that last if your insights aren’t driving impact?
Like a plane without a destination, sooner or later, your fuel will run out, and engagement will plummet.
Case in point, before any campaign, there are two things to consider: your intention and your audience.
A clear intention gives messaging a sharp point, style, and level of explanation.
Meanwhile, knowing your audience lays the foundation for your tone and statements.
For instance, if your press release aims to drive legislation, make it clear that you’re targeting government officials by using language like “urges government officials” or “calls on policymakers to act”, rather than phrases like “hopes for change” or “aims to raise awareness.”
The former communicates intent and pressure. The latter leaves the door wide open and makes it unclear who the message is really for.
Don't make this avoidable mistake. Always deliver real, clear value for you and your audience.
The big question we’re often asked: How can executive thought leadership be measured?
To be honest, it’s a tricky one.
On one hand, PR should never be confused with marketing or judged by lead-gen.
On the other hand, credibility only comes with time.
As soon as we start putting lofty expectations on thought leadership, client and representative relationships can get skewed, and results won’t come naturally.
Besides, most executive thought leaders' journeys aren't directly comparable with another's in terms of content, time frames, followers, and far more other variables.
So, while you can quantify the quality of media hits and social media engagement you receive, it’s much better to focus on building genuine relationships, trust, and influence over time, and positive business outcomes will follow.