This week in the world’s #1 newsletter on leadership communication:
- How to create an unforgettable Digital First Impression
- The Human Side of Leadership: Burnout, Growth, and Purpose
-
Become an AI-Savvy Leader
How to create an unforgettable Digital First Impression
Hi Reader
Last week, we offered 100 of you a free LinkedIn assessment, providing each participant with three quick wins.
Apologies to those who didn’t make it into the first 100—we received far more requests than we could realistically accommodate.
However, we wanted to share three key insights that stood out in many of the profiles we reviewed:
- Your background banner is prime real estate. It should make a strong first impression and clearly communicate your key message.
- Your headline (the text under your profile picture) shouldn’t just be your job title. Instead, use it to highlight your mission or how you can help others.
- The “About” section is often underutilized. Many profiles simply repeat their experience or focus too much on their business rather than the person behind it.
Your LinkedIn profile is a crucial part of your digital first impression – now more important than ever.
Before a meeting, a speaking gig, or even a coffee chat, people are already looking you up online.
People who may consider you for opportunities may never reach out because your digital first impression doesn’t do you justice anymore.
And LinkedIn isn’t the only place they’re searching.
There are six key platforms shaping your credibility, influence, and personal brand every single day.
Where Are People Searching for You?
Each platform reveals something different about your expertise, authority, and thought leadership:
🔍 Google – Media mentions, wiki pages, YouTube videos. What’s the dominant narrative about you?
🤖 ChatGPT – AI pulls from public content to answer questions about you. Are you positioned as a credible expert?
💼 LinkedIn – Your profile, posts, and engagement. Are you sharing value and building real connections?
📚 Amazon – Published books and works. Are you seen as a go-to authority in your field?
🎙 Spotify – Podcasts, interviews, guest appearances. Are you contributing to industry conversations?
📷 Instagram – Visual content, stories, and personal branding. Are you showcasing your authentic self?
These platforms tell a story about you – whether you’ve shaped it or not.
How to Take Control of Your Digital First Impression
Here’s how you can start:
Step 1: Take stock of what’s out there – Google yourself. Check each platform. What do people see first?
Step 2: Update or remove what no longer represents you – Old bios, outdated articles, or inactive profiles? That fresh headshot you’ve been thinking about? Time for an upgrade.
Step 3: Choose ONE area to elevate in 2025 – Maybe it’s securing 3 podcast guest spots, building your LinkedIn presence, or finally publishing that book.
Pro tip: Podcasts are especially valuable. They put you on Spotify, Google, LinkedIn and potentially YouTube, amplifying your reach across multiple platforms.
Don’t leave your digital reputation up to chance. Check out my one-pager on digital first impressions here.
PODCAST
The Human Side of Leadership: Burnout, Growth, and Purpose
I do a podcast to help you become a Top 1% communicator.
Peter Sorgenfrei knows what it takes to lead. Six-time CEO. Founder. Unapologetically ambitious. But in 2019, his pursuit of success pushed him to complete burnout — his body shut down.
What happened next reshaped everything: his leadership, his identity, and his definition of success. In this episode, Peter shares the hard truths about ambition, the power of rest, and why true leadership is about people, not just profits.
From radical transparency to redefining self-worth beyond job titles, his insights will challenge the way you think about work, purpose, and growth.
Listen on Spotify and Apple:
BOOK RECOMMENDATION
Become an AI-Savvy Leader
If you only read one book about AI this year, let it be The AI-Savvy Leader.
Business school prof and AI expert David de Cremer wrote the book that all leaders should read. His main premise: Most AI projects fail because of a lack of leadership skills and emotional intelligence (EI).
The solution: Leaders should see AI as a way to augment themselves and their people rather than replacing them with technology – which leads to disengagement among the workforce and customers.
The upshot: AI works best when EI is high and leaders excel at communications.
Have an inspired week,
Oliver
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