Is Your Leadership Branding Stuck in the Past?
Leadership isn’t static—and neither is your leadership brand.
Yet, recent data from Zety shows that 47% of professionals haven't updated their resume in over two years, and a TopResume study revealed that 70% of LinkedIn users haven’t revised their profiles in 12 months or more (Zety, 2022) (TopResume, 2021).
At the same time, recruiters aren’t waiting for you to apply. They’re actively searching.
According to LinkedIn’s Global Talent Trends Report, 87% of recruiters say proactive sourcing is their most effective strategy, and 70% of hiring managers say they rely on a candidate’s online presence to assess fit—even before an interview (LinkedIn, 2023).
So, if your brand is outdated, unclear, or invisible—you may be unintentionally eliminating yourself from opportunities you don’t even know exist.
Most Professionals Are Behind the Curve
Old job titles. Outdated resumes. LinkedIn profiles written before the last promotion—or the last three. These are all signs that your digital presence hasn’t caught up with who the leader you are today.
In today’s talent marketplace, your leadership brand isn’t just a personal asset—it’s a visibility filter for employers, collaborators, and stakeholders.
If your brand is current, aligned, and reflective of your values and strengths, you:
Appear proactive and intentional
Build trust more quickly
Attract roles and opportunities that match your evolving career vision
If it’s stuck in the past, you:
Appear disconnected or disengaged
Undermine credibility
Miss unseen opportunities where you’re a perfect fit—but not a visible one
Leadership Branding and the Johari Window
Updating your leadership brand is about more than marketing—it’s about opening up your Open Area in the Johari Window.
When others can clearly see what you see about yourself—your growth, strengths, values, and vision—you build shared understanding, faster trust, and deeper alignment.
Want to learn more? Read “Leadership Branding & Visibility: The 3 Levels Every Executive Must Master”.
3 Questions to Ask Yourself Today
Does my resume, LinkedIn profile, or bio reflect the leader I am right now?
Have I clearly articulated the kind of roles or challenges I’m seeking next?
If someone searched me today, would they see a current version of me or get a sense of where I’m going as a leader?
If you’re hesitating on any of these, it may be time to refresh and reclaim your leadership brand.
CLAIM the Brand That Matches Who You Are Today
At the Leadership Branding Institute, we help professionals claim their leadership brand. Here are a few suggestions for how you can begin to update your leadership brand:
Craft your leadership brand based on current strengths and values
Link your leadership brand to recent experiences from your leadership journey
Articulate your leadership brand online and in key conversations
Integrate your leadership brand into your daily professional and personal behaviors
Maximize the visibility of your leadership brand over time through monitoring and updating your branding activiites
Because your next opportunity shouldn’t be blocked by your last version.
Your growth as a leader didn’t stop. Let’s make sure your leadership brand doesn’t either.
References:
Zety. (2022). Resume Statistics: What You Need to Know.
TopResume. (2021). LinkedIn Statistics and Insights.
LinkedIn. (2023). Global Talent Trends Report.
