Arguably the most important conversation we’ll have in Australia this year is the upcoming referendum on an Indigenous Voice to Parliament.
It’s been fascinating to see how our most influential leaders – CEOs and board members – are using LinkedIn to reach and influence their key audiences.
It’s obviously a complex discussion, and I don’t want to skim the surface. So, in this newsletter you’ll find:
My analysis of how certain CEOs and board members are using LinkedIn;
How that differs from statements being made on other channels;
Advice for leaders on the ‘risks of incongruence’;
One CEO setting a clear, consistent example on LinkedIn; and
Three tips for leaders who want to be heard on LinkedIn.
Because, regardless of whether you’re a ‘yes’ or ‘no’, key audiences like your staff, candidates, partners and shareholders are all looking to you for guidance. And being heard matters.
What they see online – what you say online – matters too.
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Note: To put my own cards on the table, Propel supports the ‘Yes’ vote. That said, I respect the importance of having an open dialogue (“strong opinions loosely held” is a mantra I live by), and the advice in this newsletter is intended to help leaders use LinkedIn effectively to share their own views. These links provide more details on the ‘Yes campaign’ and ‘No campaign’ if you are interested.
How are our most prominent leaders discussing the Voice on LinkedIn?
One group of leaders I look to as a sort of ‘makeshift benchmark’ for industry is the CEOs of our big four banks. Collectively, these four CEOs have almost 180,000 followers on LinkedIn, which translates roughly to an audience of around a 100 million they could reach via the social network effect.
They – and their organisations – have all publicly backed an enshrined Indigenous Voice to Parliament.
What have they said on LinkedIn to date?
In twelve months.
Collectively.
(And the post was a repost, which means very few would have seen it…)
One post from a CEO even featured a poster – seen above – with the words: “The ‘Walking Together’ Star symbolises the place of Indigenous Australians as Australia’s First People…” Clearly there is an awareness of and support for the Voice, but even this post focused on the importance of banking qualifications for staff.
Now, I want to be really clear here. My comments do not come from a place of criticism.
I fully respect this is a complicated issue and have no doubt there have been countless conversations internally about how best to discuss the Voice, including via the executive on LinkedIn.
My comments come from a place of confusion.
We have an issue of national significance. These – and all – CEOs have a direct line to audiences who want to hear from them. Staff, customers and partners who themselves have a vested interest in the outcome of the vote.
And one post. They’ve posted more about the Matildas.
We often hear about the ‘risks’ associated with executive social media and the concerns shared around the boardroom table about saying the wrong things online. I’d challenge this.
Here – when statements have already been made elsewhere – the real risk lies in what is NOT being said online. When you have direct access to audiences via LinkedIn, staying silent is a huge opportunity lost.
Are you exposed to the ‘risk of incongruence’?
I had a fantastic chat recently with David Maywald, board member for seven organisations, on the Your Digital Reputation podcast.
As a director who uses social media, David understands risk and online communication well. In our conversation, he is quick to point out to leaders the risk of not being engaged online, and the risk of incongruence.
In his view, there’s so much information available today that leaders’ actions online and offline must match up. No leader can afford to be inauthentic or act differently in one domain or the other.
It’s what Zora Artis calls misalignment – the ‘say-do gap’. It’s a serious strategic risk, and social media makes it really easy to identify.
From my experience, it creates ‘credibility erosion’. Not only do people question any one statement, they also start to question everything that leader says or has said.
On the flip side, leaders who use platforms like LinkedIn to elevate their offline views only stand to gain additional reach and influence.
In our podcast conversation, David highlights the approach HESTA CEO Debby Blakey (and her Chair, Nicola Roxon) takes on LinkedIn.
Debby is one CEO who is crystal clear in her online support for the Voice.
In David’s opinion, this clarity matters. He considers Debby to be “one of the inspirations and role models that I’ve drawn from in terms of how I aspire to use LinkedIn.”
Congruence matters. Congruence builds credibility.
How SHOULD you harness LinkedIn on key issues like the Voice?
More than 13 million professional Aussies now use LinkedIn. The collective reach and influence of individual CXOs and board members on the platform cannot be understated.
So, regardless of your views on the vote, the choices you make on LinkedIn have an important bearing on your ability to influence the outcome you desire.
Now, if you CAN’T speak up on LinkedIn – for whatever reason – don’t. But if you CAN – what will you say? What will key audiences want to hear from you?
Surely the answer cannot be ‘silence’.
Here are three tips to help you make the most of your LinkedIn presence on the road to referendum.
1. Don’t repost ANYTHING. In my analysis, I saw CEO after CEO, and NED after NED reposting their peers’/organisations’ posts on the Voice. I appreciate this is likely intended as a show of support, but please don’t repost. It limits the spread of the message. Instead, create your own post and acknowledge anyone you need to by tagging them in the copy or comments.
You will generate significantly more reach by crafting an original post. Of course this requires every leader to have a position on the issue vs tucking in behind a brand or one figurehead. But every leader should. Make your voice count.
2. Avoid external links and articles where you can. I’ve also seen plenty of leaders sharing links to media coverage or corporate news sites as a way to say ‘here’s a credible opinion’. Again, please don’t. While link posts perform better than reposts, it is far better to keep the conversation on LinkedIn than sending people offsite. The same applies for long-form LinkedIn articles.
As a leader, people want to hear your unique opinion on the issue, not corporate messages or recycled news. The LinkedIn algorithm will reward your own words and opinion.
3. Take the time to listen and comment. If you’re not already using LinkedIn to listen to the views of your key audiences on the Voice, start now. While it is important for you to lead conversations and to avoid the risk of incongruence, it is also vital your audiences – particularly anyone who does not share your view – feel heard and respected.
Commenting on posts is a great way to influence the algorithm and ensure your posts are seen by many more people than your own executive or board echo chamber. Take the time – have an impact.
Be a source of positive leadership on LinkedIn.
As always, if you need any help with this and have been wondering how best to take a position on issues like the Voice on LinkedIn, please drop me a note. I’d love to help if I can.
LinkedIn has copped it’s fair share of criticism of late, with one commentator even calling out its capacity to reward corporate narcissism.
Fair enough. Some who use LinkedIn are entirely in it for themselves.
But you don’t have to be.
As per our last newsletter (‘You are what you eat on LinkedIn’), every LinkedIn user has a choice around what they put into the platform and what they gain from it.
So, rather than watching on from the sidelines, hoping for a win. And rather than giving up in the face of those who don’t share your views.
Stand up, speak up, and harness your leadership privilege on LinkedIn to be a positive voice in the discussion.
It’s not every day you get the chance to influence our Constitution.
Take care in the meantime,
Roge
(Feature mage credit: cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au)
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