There was a time when executives could hide behind a brand. Not anymore. Today, people want to know the humans behind the companies they buy from, work for, and invest in. They also expect them to sound like people, not talking points with the life edited out of them.

That expectation has made executive visibility a major part of the job. Leaders who speak credibly in public build trust and create awareness, while giving people another way to understand the companies they represent.

Not every leader needs the same kind of public profile, however. What matters is that when they do show up, they bring more than the company line. They bring their own experience, expertise, and perspective. They should also take part in the conversations shaping their industries, not just show up when the company has something to announce.

But, as with all things in life, there is a balance. Leaders must be careful not to swing too far in either direction, whether being too promotional of their company or self.

I recently chatted with a long-standing partner of ours, Len Covello, CTO and cofounder of Engage People. He explained, “Executive visibility is about making the expertise and perspective behind a company accessible to the people who need to understand and trust it…(Not being too promotional) helps give you credibility and positions you as an industry expert rather than someone who is only talking about their own company.”

And that credibility shouldn’t rest on a single person. When one founder or CEO becomes synonymous with a company, the brand can become overly dependent on them.

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