It’s not good enough for the leadership team to be visible simply inside the company anymore. They need to be known beyond company walls and the employee intranet. They do not need to become Twitter or blog celebrities but should be actively engaged on appropriate social channels that reinforce their professional reputation and that of the company. Here’s why: 

1. Branding – Leaders support and cultivate the corporate culture. They represent why the company is a great place to work. 

2. Employee engagement – Today’s workplace extends well beyond office boundaries. Social networks enable human interactions essential for a successful global workforce. If employees are more connected to what their leaders are saying, they will be more committed. 

3. Attracting business and talent – Social media enables leaders to expand their reach. A larger sphere of influence enables them to tap into and attract a wider talent pool, uncover new sales opportunities and forge additional business partnerships.

The easiest way to start is to build a good LinkedIn presence.  From here, leaders can guest post on a company blog, participate in LinkedIn Group discussions, share their thoughts by commenting on blogs in their field and even consider setting up their own Twitter account or blog.

Leaders can’t sit back anymore. They should not only listen to what is being said about their company online, but need to be seeding and participating in the discussion themselves.