Focused LinkedIn Engagement

As we begin to work on our personal brand, increasing engagement on LinkedIn is often a strategy.

We start to like, comment, and share the posts of others.

This is typically organic. We react to what we see in our personal feed.

Over time, we understand what resonates with us.

In parallel, we’ve done the work to determine what we want others to know about us.

This is when our personal “thought leadership formula” begins to emerge.

And our engagement moves from organic to intentional.

What do we hope the audience thinks about us?

How can our posts better reflect our unique difference.

Finding our Thought Leadership Formula

A prior post focused on the topic of context (audience) and impact (focus).

In that post, I introduced how the thought leadership umbrellas tie to four categories:

Driving Results – We manage the timeline, meet the deadlines, and can be relied on.
Creating Plans – We think outside the box, generate ideas, and look to the future.
Building Teams – We focus on relationships and how the work moves through the system.
Inspiring Progress – We focus on keeping everyone energized and moving forward.

If you look closely, you might realize that these four areas are tied to the CliftonStrengths domains.

I believe that just like many things, we may gain insights about ourselves through our strengths.

We can find clues about what we want to be known for and our “formula” for thought leadership.

Below are tips on how each talent theme might provide thought leadership.

Achiever – Provide actionable steps for professionals who want to get things done.
Arranger – Showcase how to streamline processes and bring order to chaos.
Belief – Champion values-driven leadership and purpose-led business strategies.
Consistency – Share frameworks for fairness and process optimization.
Deliberative – Offer risk assessments and mitigation strategies.
Discipline – Teach time management, routines, and structured approaches to productivity.
Focus – Provide insights on how to eliminate distractions and prioritize what matters.
Responsibility – Lead discussions on accountability, integrity, and ethical leadership.
Restorative – Solve problems by diagnosing inefficiencies and proposing solutions.

Analytical – Break down industry trends with data-driven insights.
Context – Provide historical perspectives on why trends are evolving as they are.
Futuristic – Share bold predictions and visions of where the industry is headed.
Ideation – Bring fresh, creative solutions and perspectives to common problems.
Input – Curate and share valuable resources, articles, and expert insights.
Intellection – Write deep, reflective pieces on complex issues.
Learner – Document continuous learning journeys and sharing evolving expertise.
Strategic – Identify patterns, cut through complexity, and map out the best path forward.

Activator – Encourage action with energizing calls to move forward.
Command – Take a stance on industry debates and confidently lead conversations.
Communication – Craft compelling narratives and engaging content.
Competition – Highlight best practices from top performers and high achievers.
Maximizer – Share strategies to take people and businesses from good to great.
Self-Assurance – Provide bold, confident insights based on deep experience.
Significance – Speak on big-stage issues and influence high-level strategic conversations.
Woo – Build thought leadership through networking and community engagement.

Adaptability – Offer insights on navigating change and staying agile.
Connectedness – Explore the bigger-picture, interconnected nature of trends.
Developer – Provide tips to mentor and coach others in their growth journeys.
Empathy – Share insight on emotional intelligence and human-centered leadership.
Harmony – Help resolve industry conflicts with balanced, neutral perspectives.
Includer – Advocate for diversity, equity, and making sure all voices are heard.
Individualization – Note how strategies can be personalized to individual needs.
Positivity – Encourage optimism and resilience through inspiring messages.
Relator – Share deep, meaningful stories and foster trusted networks.

For those looking to partner with AI to go a step beyond the insights above, try this prompt in your favorite generative AI tool:

“With my top 10 (or 5) CliftonStrengths – LIST STRENGTHS HERE – what would a summary of my unique thought leadership look like?”

Check out the result and work back and forth to refine.

From there, here are some additional prompts to consider:

What type of information might I share on LinkedIn to express my difference?

What formats might work well for me?

What are 20 topic ideas that I could post about today?

Explore the ideas that emerge and see if any feel right to you.