LinkedIn for CX leaders: no time? Start with these two things

You can be incredibly busy with CX and still not be the person people think of when the big decisions are made.

And THAT is the painful bit.

You run the programmes, build the journeys, implement AI, chase the actions and keep the whole CX machine moving. But when strategy is discussed, when big choices about customers are being made or when the CEO asks, “Who should we have in the room?”, does your name come up?

That question came back to me while I was sitting in the Air France lounge at Heathrow with a glass of champagne in my hand.

Happy? Absolutely. Celebrating? Definitely. Tired? Also very much yes. Those eyes did not lie.

I had just finished hosting the CX Travel and Hospitality Exchange in London. Two intense days full of connections, learnings about AI, customers and leadership, and a lot of FUN. I also received wonderful feedback about my moderating, my thinking on CX Leadership and the energy I brought.

Another CX leader had joined the CX Leadership Masterminds Bootcamp, ready to grow in her strategic leadership.

And there was one more reason for the bubbles: I had reached 15,000 followers on LinkedIn.

Why 15,000 LinkedIn followers mattered to me

At the beginning of the year, I wrote that number down as one of my goals.

And then, there it was.

15K. Followers.

Really, Nienke? Is THAT what this is about?

Of course not.

I set that goal because I wanted more people to know what I stand for, how I look at CX Leadership and what I believe deserves more attention in our profession.

Because being good at your work does not automatically mean people know what you are good at.

For CX leaders, LinkedIn can be a strategic asset. It gives you a place to share your expertise, make your thinking visible and build relationships beyond the colleagues and stakeholders you already work with every day.

And those relationships matter.

Your network influences your opportunities and impact

Researchers from LinkedIn, MIT, Harvard and Stanford studied more than 20 million LinkedIn users over five years. During that period, they tracked 2 billion new connections and 600,000 new jobs.

Their research showed that connections outside our closest circle can create valuable new career opportunities. Especially moderately weak ties – people we know, but do not interact with frequently – can give us access to information and opportunities we would not find within our immediate network.

Another study, involving 185 employees across 43 teams, found that people’s positions within their professional networks influenced whether they spoke up with ideas and suggestions. The researchers describe relationships as a form of “social credentials”: your network can affect whether others recognise, trust and support your ideas.

So I keep coming back to this question:

Who thinks of you?

When the CEO is looking for someone who can connect customer needs to growth, AI, cost reduction or transformation, is your name on the list?

When the executive team is making choices that will shape the customer experience for the next three years, are you invited because they know you can help them make better business decisions?

And when the leadership offsite is being planned, are you one of the people they want in the room?

THAT is the level I want CX leaders to aim for.

Why LinkedIn matters for CX leaders

Please don’t become some sort of LinkedIn influencer. We all know the posts I mean. 😉

Use LinkedIn to show people your expertise, your opinions and the way you look at Customer Experience.

I know the hesitation.

What will my colleagues think?

Will it look like bragging?

What if I post something and nobody reacts?

But there is a much more important question:

What happens if nobody knows what you think?

If you want to grow into a Strategic CX Leader, people need to understand what you stand for and what you bring to the table. Sharing your thinking regularly helps people connect your name to the CX challenges they are trying to solve.

You do not need to spend hours creating content to start building that visibility. Begin with these two things.

1. Start commenting on LinkedIn

Find people whose thinking you admire and join their conversations.

And please, no “Great post!”

Add something with substance. Share what you agree with, explain what you see differently or tell them what their post made you think about.

One thoughtful comment can show your expertise, introduce your perspective to a new audience and start a valuable conversation.

And no generic ChatGPT answers, please. We spot them right away. Your comment should sound like YOU and reflect your own experience.

2. Post something yourself today

Share one lesson from last week.

One CX opinion.

One customer insight.

One question you keep hearing inside your organisation.

It does not need to be perfect or beautifully designed. It needs to contain a thought that is genuinely yours.

My 15,000 followers did not appear overnight. They came one post, one opinion, one comment and one conversation at a time.

So yes, I celebrated reaching 15K. And I am very grateful to everyone who is part of my LinkedIn community.

But now it is your turn to get your butt out there on LinkedIn.

Your goal is not collecting followers. Your goal is making your thinking visible, building relevant relationships and becoming the CX leader people think of when strategic decisions are made.

Start with one comment or one post today.

Now let’s GOOOOO.

Until next time, keep spicing up your Customer Experience leadership.