[NEW INSIGHT] 6 ways to build executive visibility without burning out
Executive branding helps leaders build the trust and credibility needed to secure major contracts, attract investment, and accelerate their career growth.
Unsurprisingly, the number of executives investing in branding activities has skyrocketed in recent years, making an already tough task even tougher.
How do you stand out, what considerations should you prioritise, and how can you avoid the most common pitfalls? This article answers these questions with 11 rules that separate leaders from the rest.
Building an executive brand is like a construction project. You need a strong foundation before you can layer on each subsequent floor.
If there’s one thing that we always advise executives, it’s that they start building their executive brand only once their business is thriving.
Think about it: If your company is struggling with high turnover, and rather than mitigating the problem, you share coverage about yourself on LinkedIn, you’re going to give employees the impression that you don’t care.
Sometimes, it’s much better to keep out of the spotlight and focus on what’s most important: Taking leadership in the literal sense.
That's unless you face a serious crisis, where you need to go public to control the narrative. That said, you still need to keep things simple, speak only about the problem at hand, and lead with transparent facts and a resolution.
Remember: Building an executive brand is like a construction project. You need a strong foundation before you can layer on each subsequent floor.
You can't rush, or everything will collapse.
It can, at times, be a slog and requires patience. But, in the end, the hard work always delivers.
Most people have someone they idolise, trust, and regularly follow. And that’s completely fine.
But when you start building your executive brand, you can’t base it on anyone. You need to be you, with some views and a signature style.
This is imperative to have a remote chance of driving genuine impact in your industry and avoiding others calling you unoriginal. Because no matter what you might have read, there are no quick hacks to build a high-impact profile.
It can, at times, be a slog and requires patience. But, in the end, the hard work always delivers.
So, before you start, ask yourself:
What do I stand for?
How did I get here?
What knowledge can I share that adds real value?
Let's break this down in further detail.
What you stand for encompasses why you might have founded your company, your personal beliefs, and the impact you want to have.
How you got here is all about the challenges you’ve faced in your career and how you’ve overcome them. This is where your story becomes relatable and credible.
What knowledge you have depends on your area of expertise and the niche you want to be known for. It also means tapping into the insights your audience demands.
The clearer your answers, the stronger and more recognisable your brand becomes.
Becoming visible for the 1st time can be nerve-wracking. We’ve worked with hundreds of C-Suite execs. We get it.
But the worst thing you can do, other than initially missing your key messages, is performing for the camera. Or worse still, acting out in person.
Audiences aren’t stupid. They know when statements are insincere, and they can tell when you’re trying to project a persona that isn’t you.
You'll undermine your credibility and give audiences a reason to question everything you later say, overshadowing otherwise valuable insight.
Want to entice investors, clients, or talent? You can forget it.
Remember: The best executive brands are always built on truth. So, stay true to yourself and you’ll succeed.
You want to be viewed as the most reliable source of information whenever a new industry development emerges.
With thousands of executives attempting to paint themselves as experts as the news cycle and algorithms constantly shift, it’s tough to reliably gain traction.
To give yourself the best shot at standing out, you need to be proactive, anticipating where industry developments are heading next and starting progressive discussions before they go viral.
How do you do this? Stay informed about industry developments by regularly consuming news and discussing insights with your peers, instead of letting others fill the gaps before you.
You want to be viewed as the most reliable source of information whenever a new industry development emerges. And that only happens when you arrive at the debate first.
They not only gatekeep positive coverage but can also turn against you in a crisis.
Quite often, leaders get so carried away once they have an array of coverage that they make the grave mistake of taking journalists for granted.
They stop pitching, expecting inbound inquiries, and no longer go the extra mile by inviting journalists for in-person chats, being flexible with time, and generally staying pleasant to speak to.
What happens? Coverage dries up, relationships sour, and suddenly the spotlight dims, leaving them scrambling to regain the trust and attention they once had.
Yet, journalists are just as important as any other stakeholder. You need to pay them the utmost respect and, preferably, get on their good side.
They not only gatekeep positive coverage but can also turn against you in a crisis. On the flip side, positive relationships can help you settle negative narratives, minimising reputational damage.
This isn’t to say you can hold favours over journalists. They exist to report the truth and take ethics seriously. But good relationships can, at least, help you set facts straight when you need to.
Once you eventually get the hang of what makes good content, you’ll start to notice that more of your pitches are accepted.
Whenever you share your insights, whether it’s a social video or a long-form opinion article, you should always be bold with your views.
People scrolling online don’t want to spend 5 minutes consuming something they’ve already heard before, let alone click if it lacks a sharp headline.
Most people engage with stories that zig where others zag, such as with a left-field prediction, hot take, or news update that genuinely moves the story forward.
Of course, you should only really comment on topics you’re qualified to speak about, with opinions backed up by real-world experience and data.
Otherwise, no one will take you seriously.
But once you eventually get the hang of what makes good content, you’ll start to notice that more of your pitches are accepted, social posts gain more engagement, and your peers highlight your work.
You don’t need to use every channel available for each campaign. You don’t need more than a handful of coverage a month.
Executive branding is admittedly a long process, and understandably, you’ll want to make as much ground as possible wherever you can.
But despite your eagerness to make an impact, creating loads of content isn’t always helpful. In fact, what you think might boost your credibility can actually risk saturating your voice.
That’s because an abundance of content doesn't allow time for your thoughts to settle. Instead, each article, post, or video you publish is overshadowed by the next, creating a myriad of mixed signals.
It’ll either weaken your core message, bore your audience, or suggest that you’re desperate for the spotlight. All of which will see your followers inevitably plummet.
In most cases, you don’t need to use every channel available for each campaign. You don’t need more than a handful of coverage a month. And you don’t need to be constantly available on LinkedIn.
Creating some distance between yourself and your audience builds greater anticipation for your voice whenever a relevant debate next erupts. And it encourages you to prioritise quality over quantity, which is often the best approach.
Consider speaking to a comms professional, at least at the very start of your campaign.
Ideally, every executive branding campaign should have a dedicated comms team in support to strategise messaging and help leaders project the right image.
Except, not all do.
Executives often manage their brand on their own, leading to campaigns that inevitably fail, and leaders who never learn from their mistakes.
Our advice? Don't launch an executive branding campaign without speaking to a comms professional, at least at the very start.
This will give you a clearer idea about what messaging you should prioritise, how to avoid appearing overly promotional, and what it takes to fully grasp the media.
After all, comms professionals are profile-building veterans. They know which tips give you a left-field advantage and what tripwires to avoid.
With unprofessional and outdated multimedia, you’re never going to strike the right chord with your audiences.
Working with dedicated comms professionals isn't enough. You should also consider partnering with multimedia producers, too.
If you’re asking why: Research shows that audiences judge you within a 10th of a second.
With unprofessional and outdated multimedia, you’re never going to strike the right chord with your audiences. Your competitors will instead.
So, don’t overlook the value of the extra polish and elevation that good visuals can bring.
Any views shared with the public aren't the absolute truth. They're ideas that will split opinion.
One thing that we predict during your executive branding campaign? Someone will disagree with your views.
And that’s not necessarily a problem.
What matters is how you react. Because the moment you reject those who disagree with you, your respect nosedives, and people completely shut themselves off.
That's because any views shared with the public aren't the absolute truth. They're ideas that will split opinion.
Don’t risk appearing ignorant by thinking otherwise.
Of course, you can still counter someone's perspective. Just do so constructively and respectfully, showing that you appreciate their ideas. And then move on.
Sometimes, it’s best to avoid arguments completely to avoid being drawn into unnecessarily long-winded debates, which quite often risk leaving you worse off.
Again, this is another reason why you should consider seeking counsel with comms professionals, as they know exactly how to approach social engagement.
The leaders who succeed are those who treat branding as a long-term investment, turning these rules into repeatable habits.
While it’s great to produce thought leadership and various other pieces of content aligned with your company's objectives, it’s also important to diversify your content with blogs, videos, and photography that showcase your hobbies and day-to-day activities.
Why? It helps create separation between your profile and the company you lead, reducing scepticism that your posts are simply corporate PR.
Instead, it paints you as someone with real interests, values, and perspectives beyond the boardroom, making you, more crucially, relatable, which is essential for trust-building and authentic engagement.
It doesn’t matter whether it’s a birthday meal, a football match, a bike ride, or a ski trip. Don’t be afraid to share this content. It’s executive branding gold.
Executive branding isn’t about chasing the spotlight. It’s about earning trust, sharing valuable insights, and positioning yourself as a credible voice in your industry.
The leaders who succeed are those who treat branding as a long-term investment, turning these rules into repeatable habits.
You’ll not only stand out in a crowded field but also create opportunities that strengthen both your reputation and your business.