5 Surprising Truths About How Executives and Employees Use LinkedIn

Introduction: The LinkedIn Tightrope

For many professionals, logging into LinkedIn feels like a digital tightrope walk. Every action—from updating your profile to liking a post—is performed on a public stage where colleagues, managers, and recruiters are all watching. This can create a constant, low-level anxiety. What if your boss sees you connected with a recruiter and assumes you’re leaving? What if that profile update is misinterpreted as a sign of discontent? We treat the platform with caution, fearing a misstep could have real-world career consequences.

This fear often leads to inaction, with profiles gathering dust and networking opportunities missed. But what if the unwritten rules of LinkedIn are not what we think they are? Based on recent data and professional discussions, the reality of how LinkedIn is used in the corporate world is full of surprising, and often counter-intuitive, truths. From the C-suite to the cubicle, the strategies and risks are more complex than they appear. Here are five surprising truths that will change how you see the world’s largest professional network.

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1. A Single Executive Outshines the Entire Company Page

It’s easy to assume a company’s official, branded LinkedIn page is its most powerful voice on the platform. The data tells a shockingly different story. A single CEO can generate the same number of LinkedIn reactions as their company’s official page, but with only 1.67% of the followers. Furthermore, a staggering 90% of employee LinkedIn posts that receive the most reactions are authored by the CEO.

The strategic implication is clear: personal, authentic leadership has immense power over polished corporate messaging. Data shows that posts where CEOs highlighted employee accomplishments, leadership changes, or employee-led philanthropy were 3x more likely to exceed engagement benchmarks than any other topic. This creates an opening for savvy professionals. By actively engaging with and sharing your CEO’s content, you align yourself with the company’s most powerful personal brand, increasing your own visibility in the process.

• According to FTI Consulting, financial readers trust a CEO who uses social media up to 9 times more than one who does not.

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2. The “Open to Work” Anxiety Is Real, But the Power Move Is Surprising

One of the biggest sources of LinkedIn anxiety is the green “#opentowork” banner. Online forums are filled with professionals worried that activating this feature will immediately signal to their current boss that they are job hunting. The fear is palpable and understandable.

However, a growing number of professionals are adopting a counter-intuitive strategy: they leave the “Open to Work” status on permanently. The power move here is twofold. First, it normalizes the activity, ensuring that turning it on doesn’t suddenly raise alarm bells. If it’s always on, it’s not a signal of anything new. Second, it allows them to passively keep a “finger on the pulse” of the job market, staying aware of opportunities and their market value without actively searching. In some cases, this transparency can even lead to unexpected positive outcomes.

I changed to “Open to Work,” and a month or so later I saw that my manager had viewed my profile… I was worried what would happen but then a week after I saw that notification, I get an email from our GM that I’m getting a promotion and raise — 3 months before my annual review.

While LinkedIn provides settings to signal your job-seeking preferences only to recruiters—and attempts to hide this from your current employer—some sources note that the system cannot guarantee complete privacy.

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3. Connecting With Your Boss Is a Strategic Business Decision, Not Just Etiquette

The decision to send a connection request to your boss is often framed as a simple matter of workplace etiquette. In today’s hyper-connected professional world, however, it should be viewed as a strategic business decision. While there are clear pros and cons, refusing a connection request from a superior can be an awkward move that goes against evolving digital expectations.

Before you click “connect,” it’s worth weighing the potential outcomes.

This strategic thinking extends beyond individual connections. The most forward-thinking leaders are moving past viewing LinkedIn as a personal tool and are instead using it for collective brand building.

“…always think of LinkedIn as a tool for business, not an online résumé.“

Adopting this mindset is the first step toward moving from a passive user to a strategic architect of your professional brand. This “LinkedIn for Business” concept involves the entire C-suite crafting their individual profiles to tell a complementary story. Together, their profiles reinforce the company’s culture, values, and strategic priorities, presenting a unified and credible front to customers, stakeholders, and potential talent.

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4. Your “Private” Social Media Activity Can Have Very Public Consequences

There is a persistent myth that what an employee does on their personal social media, in their own time, is their own business. Corporate policies and legal precedents paint a very different picture. Any online activity that affects the company’s business or reputation is covered by company policies, regardless of whether you identify yourself as an employee or post during work hours.

Even if you have the highest privacy settings enabled, there can be no reasonable expectation that your posts will remain private. Content can be screenshotted and shared by others, intentionally or not, breaking through any privacy wall you’ve built. The digital world has a long memory, and past comments can have severe, real-world consequences.

In the case of Creighton v Together Housing Association Ltd, a manager with almost 30 years of service was dismissed for derogatory tweets he had posted two to three years prior. This cautionary tale illustrates the permanency of online comments and the serious risks involved, even for long-tenured employees.

The core guideline is clear: any post on a personal account that brings the company into disrepute can lead to an investigation and disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal.

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5. Most Executives Aren’t Social Media Gurus—They Want Help

We often assume that C-level executives, who are masters of their industries, are equally adept in all other domains, including social media. The reality is that many senior leaders feel overwhelmed and under-equipped to manage their professional online presence effectively. They recognize the importance of having a personal brand but often lack the time and expertise to build it.

Data reveals that executives are not only aware of this gap but are actively seeking assistance to manage their digital impact.

• 67% of senior business leaders want support from social media experts to drive their digital impact.
• 1 in 5 senior leaders would like all their social content to be written for them by an expert.
• Nearly all tech executives (98%) believe building a personal brand on social media boosts business outcomes, highlighting the pressure they feel to be present and effective.

This is not just a shared challenge; it is a significant career opportunity. For an ambitious professional, becoming a savvy internal resource for social media is a powerful way to build relationships and demonstrate value far beyond a job description. Offering to help a senior leader draft a post, providing insights on a new LinkedIn feature, or even ghostwriting content can make you an indispensable strategic partner in the eyes of leadership.

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Conclusion: Playing the Game by New Rules

LinkedIn is a far more complex and high-stakes platform than most of us realize. It’s not just an online resume; it’s a dynamic arena for personal branding, corporate strategy, and career management. The unwritten rules form a new playbook, and understanding them provides a competitive advantage that separates strategic players from passive users. From the surprising influence of an executive’s personal post to the career-altering risks of a seemingly “private” comment, mastering this playbook is critical.

Now that you know the hidden rules of the game, how will you change the way you play?