What are you doing today (better) position yourself as a thought leader? What are you doing today to (better) engage your community? What are you doing today to (better) differentiate your voice? Well, if you are not on LinkedIn, you are missing out. LinkedIn has evolved itself into a powerhouse of thought leadership. With articles, updates, videos, portfolio examples, and more, you can become a powerful voice. In 2015, LinkedIn started publishing its annual “LinkedIn Top Voices List,” which is the term for its Influencers. At the end of each year, they rank the 20 LinkedIn Top Voices.
While there are hundreds of voices or influencers, each year LinkedIn shares its “standout voices.” In its 2018 post, author Daniel Roth explained how they researched and ranked:
To find all of the standout voices, we use a combination of data and editorial signals. We screen for engagement among professionals sharing in their area of expertise, looking at what kind of conversations — measured by engagement, including comments and re-shares — their original content is creating. We track relative follower growth, too: Are these Influencers attracting dedicated fans in their particular sector? Finally, we emphasize quality and diversity; the list should reflect the world we work in.
When helping our clients with thought leadership articles, blogs, keynotes, workshops, stories, etc., The Chief Storyteller® team helps you think about these very questions and how to answer them. At the core, thought leadership is about engaging your community with thoughtful, meaningful content that spurs conversations, changes in attitude and behavior, and ultimately, inspires action.
This is not a compare and contrast across the years. Rather, it is an opportunity for you to learn and model thought leadership.
Look at the Influencers below — links and topics included. Follow these LinkedIn top voices. Look at how these LinkedIn top voices post content, share stories, start conversations — how they engage their community. What can you learn? What can you apply? To grow your community liked a LinkedIn top voices.
LinkedIn Top Voices
| RANK | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
| 1 | Richard Branson | Founder, Virgin Group
Topics: Entrepreneurship; Business; Personal life; Travel; Personal Empowerment |
Melinda Gates | Co-Chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Founder, Pivotal Ventures
Topics: Entrepreneurship, especially female/women entrepreneurship; Gender inequality; Personal empowerment |
Melinda Gates | Co-Chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Founder, Pivotal Ventures
Topics: Entrepreneurship, especially female/women entrepreneurship; Gender inequality; Personal empowerment |
| 2 | Melinda Gates | Co-Chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Founder, Pivotal Ventures
Topics: Entrepreneurship, especially female/women entrepreneurship; Gender inequality; Personal empowerment |
Adam Grant | Organizational Psychologist, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
Topics: Psychology of work — innovation, culture, creativity, collaboration, productivity |
Daymond John | CEO, FUBU and The Shark Group
Topics: Entrepreneurship; Personal empowerment; Investing; Media |
| 3 | Ray Dalio | Founder, Co-Chief Investment Officer & Co-Chairman, Bridgewater Associates
Topics: Global economy; Current events; Personal life |
Sara Blakely | Founder & CEO, SPANX
Topics: Entrepreneurship, especially female/women entrepreneurship; Gender inequality; Personal empowerment |
Brene Brown | Research Professor, CEO & Author
Topics: Personal empowerment; Empathy; Awareness; Burnout & stress; Social justice; Anti-racism |
| 4 | Nicholas Thompson | Editor in Chief, Wired
Topics: Leading technology news from around the world |
Daymond John | CEO, FUBU and The Shark Group
Topics: Entrepreneurship; Personal empowerment; Investing; Media |
Mark Cuban | Owner, Dallas Mavericks; Shark on ABC; C0-Owner, 2929 Entertainment
Topics: Entrepreneurship; Investing; Personal empowerment; Innovation |
| 5 | Justin Trudeau | Prime Minister, Canada
Topics: Everything Canada; Issues of international business, economy, and social |
Ray Dalio | Co-Chief Investment Officer & Co-Chairman, Bridgewater Associates
Topics: Investing; Global economy |
Shaun Robinson | Emmy Award-winning Journalist, Author, Activist
Topis: Girls empowerment; Broadcasting; Career |
| 6 | Susan Cain | Co-Founder & CEO, Quiet Revolution
Topics: Psychology (e.g., confidence, introverts, shyness, creativity, sharing, and teamwork); Workplace issues |
Arianna Huffington | Founder & CEO, Thrive Global
Topics: Life; Work-Life Balance; Personal empowerment; Technology; Global issues |
Sara Blakely | Founder & CEO, SPANX
Topics: Entrepreneurship, especially female/women entrepreneurship; Gender inequality; Personal empowerment |
| 7 | Ian Bremmer | President & Founder, Eurasia Group & GZERO Media
Topics: World; Business; Politics |
Indra Nooyi | Former Chairman & CEO, PepsiCo
Topics: Workplace; Diversity; Personal and female empowerment; |
Ray Dalio | Founder, Co-Chief Investment Officer & Co-Chairman, Bridgewater Associates
Topics: Global economy; Current events; Personal life |
| 8 | Beth Comstock | Author & Former Vice Chair of GE
Topics: Workplace and management issues |
Mike Bloomberg | Founder Bloomberg LP and Bloomberg Philanthropies
Topics: Personal empowerment; Business; Sustainability; Environment; Philanthropy |
Whitney Johnson | CEO & Founder, WLJ Advisors
Topics: Emotional Resiliency; Perspective; Human behavior; Career; Personal empowerment |
| 9 | Sallie Krawcheck | CEO & Co-Founder of Ellevest
Topics: Investing; Personal empowerment; World |
Gary Vaynerchuk (Gary Vee) | Chairman, VaynerX & CEO, VaynerMedia
Topics: Entrepreneurship; Personal empowerment; Technology; Social Media; Branding; Marketing |
Arne Sorenson | President & CEO, Marriott International
Topics: Travel; Hospitality; Environment and sustainability; Safer workplace |
| 10 | Gary Vaynerchuk (Gary Vee) | Chairman, VaynerX & CEO, VaynerMedia
Topics: Entrepreneurship; Personal empowerment; Technology; Social Media; Branding; Marketing |
Katie Couric | Founder, Katie Couric Media
Topics: Personal and female empowerment; Gender inequality; Global issues; Health/cancer |
John Hope Bryant | Founder, Chairman, & CEO, Operation HOPE
Topics: Financial literacy; Personal empowerment; Diversity & inclusion; General equality; Racism |
| 11 | Arne Sorenson | President & CEO, Marriott International
Topics: Travel; Hospitality; Environment and sustainability; Safer workplace |
Arne Sorenson | President & CEO, Marriott International
Topics: Travel; Hospitality; Environment and sustainability; Safer workplace |
Dr. John Maeda | Chief Customer Experience Officer, Everbridge
Topics: Digital Transformation; Technology; Leadership; Design Thinking; Innovation |
| 12 | David Sable | Chairman, VMLY&R
Topics: Marketing communication; International issues |
Doug McMillon | President & CEO, Walmart
Topics: Global issues; Workplace; Employees |
LeVar Burton | Actor, Director, Educator, Literacy Activist
Topics: Education; Literacy; Literature; Family; Personal empowerment |
| 13 | Gordon Orr | Board Member, Lenovo & Swire Pacific
Topics: Everything China |
Mellody Hobson | Co-CEO & President, Ariel Investments
Topics: Investing; Financial literacy; Gender inequality; Social |
David M. Solomon | Chairman & CEO, Goldman Sachs
Topics: Business; Entrepreneurship; Finance; Investing |
| 14 | Whitney Johnson | CEO & Founder, WLJ Advisors
Topics: Disruption and Managing change |
Ramon Laguarta | Chairman & CEO, PepsiCo
Topics: Business; Environment & sustainability |
Angela Duckworth | Founder & CEO, Character Lab Psychology Professor at University of Pennsylvania; Author GRIT
Topics: Perseverance; Confidence; Personal empowerment; Stress |
| 15 | Mary Barra | Chairman & CEO, General Motors
Topics: Transportation; Education; Environment; Sustainability |
Sallie Krawcheck | CEO & Co-Founder of Ellevest
Topics: Investing; Personal empowerment; World |
Laysha Ward | EVP & Chief External Engagement Officer at Target
Topics: Leadership; Anti-racism; Business; Gender inequality; Collaboration |
| 16 | Bernard Tyson | Chairman & CEO, Kaiser Permanente
Topics: Healthcare; Innovation |
Ed Bastian | CEO, Delta Air Lines
Topics: Transportation; Hospitality; Environment & sustainability; Travel |
Arianna Huffington | Founder & CEO, Thrive Global
Topics: Life; Work-Life Balance; Personal empowerment; Technology; Global issues |
| 17 | Brene Brown | Research Professor, CEO & Author
Topics: Personal empowerment; Empathy; Awareness; Burnout & stress; Social justice; Anti-racism |
Phumzile MlamboNgcuka | Under-Secretary-General, UN and Executive Director, UN Women
Topics: Gender equality; Female/women empowerment |
Gretchen Rubin | Bestselling author – Happiness Project; Happier at Home
Topics: Human behavior; Habits; Happiness |
| 18 | Sanyin Siang | CEO Coach, Professor & Author
Topics: Behavioral science; Human factors; Leadershp; Ethics |
Marillyn Hewson | Chairman, President & CEO, Lockheed Martin
Topics: Internationa; Technology; Security; Defense; Space; STEM Education |
Rafat Ali | CEO & Founder, Skift
Topics: |
| 19 | Winnie Byanyima | Executive Director, Oxfam International
Topics: Gender; Gender inequality; Social; International |
Nicholas Thompson | Editor in Chief, Wired
Topics: Leading technology news from around the world |
Erika James | Dean, The Wharton School
Topics: Travel; Events; Business; Global issues |
| 20 | Dan Schulman | President & CEO, PayPal
Topics: Global finance; Workplace culture; Leadership; Personal empowerment |
Sally Susman | EVP & Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Pfizer
Topics: Humor; Humility; Travel; Personal information sharing |
Eric S. Yuan | Founder & CEO, Zoom
Topics: Collaboration; Virtual; Remote Work; Education; Experiences |
SOURCES
LinkedIn Top Voices List: 2018
LinkedIn Top Voices List: 2019
LinkedIn Top Voices List: 2020
Photography Source: Original Image from LinkedIn and modified by The Chief Storyteller®, LLC. © Copyright 2021. All Rights Reserved.
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