In this episode of “Your Digital Reputation,” host Roger Christie explores an important question for any leader and organisation at large to consider: Are social CEOs magnets for talent? Roger delves into statistics that show candidates are more likely to want to work for leaders who use social media as well as discussing more specifically the importance of a leaders’ LinkedIn profile in the job hunting process. To gain a deeper understanding, Roger invites three guests to join him in the conversation, each with a unique and valuable experience working with a social leader within the public sector.
Guests include Rosie Oldfield, Executive Officer to the CEO and Manager for Projects at the Committee for Sydney; Elliott Franks, Acting Director for Communications at the Queensland Government Department of Resources and Danielle Maidens, Assistant director for policy implementation at the Federal Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts. Through each individual’s story, listeners will gain insight into how a social CEO can attract top talent to their team and discover the tangible benefits of being a social CEO in the modern workforce.
As Roger Christie and his guests explore in this podcast episode, a leader’s social media efforts can significantly impact the success of their team. While statistics show that candidates are four times more likely to want to work for leaders who use social media than those who don’t (Brunswick), it’s the real life stories as shared by team members themselves that bring these powerful numbers to life. Rosie, Elliott and Dani share on the podcast their own experiences and highlight how their leaders’ online efforts have had a big impact on their careers.
As he chats with each guest, Roger emphasises that leaders’ words and actions have always mattered, but social media platforms like LinkedIn provide unparalleled access and scale to amplify their impact. These platforms help leaders reach and influence a whole new audience, including the talent they need to thrive in today’s market.
Elliott Franks shares the impact his former Director-General, Mike Kaiser has had on the willingness of other Queensland Government leaders and staff to speak up online and be proud about working for the public service. An impact made possible via LinkedIn. Here’s a snippet of what he had to say:
“We’re proud of the work we do internally. But traditionally in the public service, we didn’t like to talk about that externally. We just want the public facing website and that’s it. That was always a challenge, to get senior leaders to put themselves out there to talk about their drivers and their passions and the reasons they love their work.
“That all kind of changed.
“It was about three, four years ago, we had a new DG come in, Mike Kaiser. If anyone knows of Mike’s work, Mike is Mike. He’s honest, he’s transparent, he’s passionate. He doesn’t back down if he believes in what he’s saying. So that was a breath of fresh air to have a senior leader like that who would – on LinkedIn – say how he felt. He’ll talk about the department, talk about the projects he’s working on and, most importantly, talk about why they’re so important to Queenslanders.
“He really changed things in our department because him doing that allowed the freedom for the rest of the senior leaders to then also show their passion and talk about why they love what they do.
“And we’re proud of the work that we do and he’s unashamed about the work that public servants do and how important it is. So it kind of freed everyone up…all the DGs following, calling out staff for their amazing work, talking about the projects.
“It’s been really valuable for public servants to be proud. That’s the big change.”
Dani Maidens also shares how an active online presence can help leaders connect with their staff, build them up, and as a result use the amplification and scale benefits of social media platforms to reach new audiences, including the all important potential candidate. The example set by leaders being active online sends a message to others about the culture, their leadership, and exemplifies what it’s like to work within their team.
Dani’s story is about her leader – the “big boss man” (as she calls him) Jim Betts – seeing her and empowering her. His example gave her the courage to share her story online – and to empower others.
“I don’t want my kids to ever feel embarrassed or ashamed of who they are. My kids are not going to start work for quite a while, but I hope that – one day when they do enter the workforce – that they can bring their true selves and that it’s okay to dance and be funny and wear bright colours and be who they are at work because they are valued. They are important. Their ideas are meaningful.
“The way that Jim has shared things and been very open about past struggles and things like that, it’s like – wow. If he can be the person at the top, then why can’t I or why can’t somebody else? It’s just being a human. The barriers have gone, which has been really nice.”
“We all want to be seen. We all want to be heard. We all want to be appreciated. … And how he has changed the dynamic…it makes me want to go to work every day.”
Note: Dani talks about a powerful post and video she shared online during this episode. If you are interested in watching this, here’s the link to check it out.
The episode highlights the importance of leaders putting their values out there on LinkedIn to attract people who share the same goals and values. By sharing their views and values on the platform, a social CEO can create cohesive, ambitious teams aligned with their objectives. The episode suggests that by leveraging LinkedIn, leaders can break down barriers and connect with individuals who may not have been reached through traditional means. As Rosie Oldfield shared, this is particularly beneficial for young professionals entering the workforce, as LinkedIn provides them with an incredible tool to showcase their skills and connect with potential employers.
Rosie is a strong advocate for leaders using social media to express who they are, their values and their leadership style as a way to draw the best talent to their team. Her story is an inspiring call to action for any savvy leader wanting to stand out in this competitive talent market.
In summary, what’s most compelling about this episode is it features three different stories, from three different professionals, at three different stages of their careers. And they all share just how much of an impact their leader’s LinkedIn efforts have had. On them, on their teams, and on the whole sector. This episode is all about the tangible impact – and the talent gains – leaders can have when they turn up purposefully and authentically online. Good leadership amplified. Be sure to tune in to hear all three stories in full.
Feel free to drop Roger Christie a note with any thoughts from this conversation. If you want more on all things digital reputation, be sure to subscribe below to the Your Digital Reputation newsletter. Join hundreds of subscribers from around the world already signed up!
