Blog post

Why is CXO engagement dropping (and how to fix it)?

We are living in the era of the “Creator CXO.”

The C-suite is now expected to be the face of the brand, the primary storyteller, and a digital thought leader. But despite the pressure to post more, engagement on executive content is plummeting.

Why? Because in a feed flooded with AI-generated thought leadership and corporate updates, audiences have developed a “BS detector.” They are scrolling past and looking for something else.

In our recent “Future of Measurement” webinar, Prashant Saxena, VP of Revenue & Insights, SEA, pinpointed that it’s not about posting more, but about getting real. Being authentic is a daily ritual, it’s not just a buzzword. 

Where do C-Suite leaders go wrong?

Why do so many capable leaders struggle to build traction on LinkedIn?

1. The “corporate bot” syndrome

Many executives treat LinkedIn like a press release distribution channel. Their posts are perfectly grammatically correct, sanitized by three layers of PR approval, and utterly devoid of personality. If your post sounds like it could have been written by any CEO in any industry, it’s not doing its job.

2. Delegating too much

It is standard practice for executives to have ghostwriters. However, the mistake lies in delegating the perspective. When a leader completely hands off their LinkedIn presence to a team without providing personal voice notes, opinions, or raw thoughts, the content feels hollow. Audiences waste no time in picking up how artificial something reads or sounds. 

3. Broadcasting, not engaging

Many “Creator CXOs” view social media as a megaphone rather than a telephone. They drop a piece of “thought leadership” and leave. They don’t reply to comments, they don’t engage with other creators, and they don’t show up in the messy, human conversations happening in the comments section.

The ritual of being authentic: A 3-step framework

During the webinar, Prashant broke down the solution into a “daily ritual of authenticity.” It’s a practical framework to move from being a “corporate bot” to “trusted leader.”

1. Signal the Right Values: Values mean more than titles

• The Shift: Instead of sharing company wins (“We hit Q3 targets!”), share the why behind the decisions.
• The Tactic: When you post about a new initiative, explain the difficult trade-offs you faced or the core value that drove the decision. What was the moral compass of the decision made?
  

2. Share the “Behind-the-Scenes”: Perfection is intimidating; progress is inspiring.

• The Shift: Move away from only posting the “highlight reel.”
• The Tactic: Share the messy middle. Did a product launch almost fail? Did you have to pivot your strategy? Posting about a challenge you are currently navigating (or recently overcame) invites empathy and engagement that a polished success story never will.
  

3. Leverage Third-Party Proof Points: Validation is stronger when it comes from others.

• The Shift: Stop being the only one talking about how great your company is.
• The Tactic: Elevate the voices of your employees, customers, and partners. Repost an employee’s win with your personal commentary on why you’re proud of them. It shows you are listening and that your leadership has a tangible impact on real people.

C-Suite leaders who “get it”

Who is actually doing this well? Here are a few leaders who have mastered the art of engagement by being human first and executives second.

1. Satya Nadella (CEO, Microsoft)

• Why he wins: Signaling values.
  Satya rarely posts generic corporate updates. His content is deeply philosophical and tied to his core mission of empathy and empowerment. Even when discussing AI or cloud computing, he frames it through the lens of human impact. He doesn’t just sell Microsoft; he sells a worldview that people want to align with.

2. Melanie Perkins (CEO, Canva)

• Why she wins: Behind-the-Scenes reality.
  Melanie is famous for sharing the rejection letters and the “no’s” she received in the early days of Canva. By sharing the struggle, she makes her massive success feel earned and relatable. She frequently highlights the culture and the team (the “Canvanauts”) rather than just her own accolades.

3. Ryan Holmes (Founder, Hootsuite)

• Why he wins: Third-party proof & engagement.
  Ryan understands the platform mechanics. He uses polls, asks questions, and champions other entrepreneurs. He frequently shines a spotlight on industry trends that validate his company’s mission without being overtly salesy. He acts as a curator of industry wisdom. 

The bottom line

As Prashant Saxena highlighted, reputation is a downstream outcome of an upstream habit.

If you want to fix your engagement, sounding like a “Creator CXO” does a lot of harm to one’s personal brand. Starting to sound like a person who happens to be a CXO would be so much better. 

Interested in viewing the whole recording? Watch our webinar here.

Alternatively, contact our team to learn more insights into meaningful measurement, KPIs and communicating using the right dataset.