The Risk That Quietly Kills Deals
Most telecom deals don’t end with a competitor winning. Instead, research shows that they simply stall out. Harvard Business Review reports that 60% of B2B opportunities fade due to customer indecision, not competitive loss. And according to PwC’s Global Risk Survey 2023, only 35% of organizations feel equipped to act quickly on new opportunities, with many leaders citing risk aversion as a key barrier to decision-making.
In telecom, every stalled modernization project deepens security risks, compounds inefficiencies and narrows the window for competitive advantage. The sales team may be pushing forward but, without executive voices backing them up, hesitation often wins.
When executives remain silent, indecision hardens and opportunities drift into limbo.
But this inaction can be anticipated and even mitigated. This inflection point is precisely when the executive voice can be most effective, by accelerating decisions and setting up a positive tone for future conversations.
Why Executive Voices Matter Early
Buyers today aren’t just sizing up a solution — they’re weighing whether they trust the people behind it. When an executive lends their perspective, it signals relevance, confidence and accountability. This doesn’t require becoming a constant poster or chasing clicks. It simply means showing up in the right moments — sharing a point of view that cuts through uncertainty and helps customers move past objections.
What buyers want isn’t pitch decks or boilerplate bios. They seek leaders who are able to share their insights to clarify risks and opportunities, share grounded insights and reflect on the “current state” with both authority and humanity. Leaders who put their experience and perspective into the conversation make it easier for customers to trust that their company understands the stakes and can deliver.
Why LinkedIn Is the First Meeting
Thought leadership isn’t about becoming a public influencer. It’s about being consistently visible in ways that matter. Executives who share insights from experience, acknowledge risks honestly and connect business goals to real-world challenges give their sales teams a credibility boost.
Your LinkedIn presence is the perfect vehicle for accomplishing this. Studies show:
- 73% of buyers view thought leadership as more trustworthy than marketing content.
- 75% say strong thought leadership prompted them to explore a new product or solution.
Buyers now complete up to 67% of their journey before ever speaking with sales. That makes LinkedIn more than a profile. It’s often your first, and sometimes only, meeting. When buyers look at your profile and posts, they aren’t searching for polish. They want leaders who make sense of risk, share honest insights and show experience without ego.
If a prospect checked your profile today, would they see a trusted advisor? Or just another job title with no real voice behind it?
What Thought Leadership Looks Like in Practice
Posting once a month isn’t thought leadership. Buyers can tell when an account is on autopilot. Building real influence takes consistency and clarity.
Leaders who stand out do four things well:
- Share a clear point of view that reflects more than a job title
- Connect industry trends to experiences they have lived
- Use a professional but approachable voice
- Align their perspective with business goals
This isn’t about going viral. It’s about showing up for the right people at the right time with a voice they trust.
Why Leaders Hold Back
Even leaders who believe in visibility often hesitate. Some aren’t sure what to say. Others worry about saying the wrong thing or striking the wrong tone. And for many the challenge is time — visibility feels like “one more thing” stacked on an already packed schedule.
Those concerns are real. Speaking up online can feel risky, and no one wants to post something that falls flat or comes across as off-brand. But when leaders hold back, they miss the chance to positively and effectively influence perception and deals.
The good news: It doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Many executives start small, with simple updates about what they’re seeing in the market or lessons learned in their role. Others repurpose what they already say in meetings, panels or customer conversations. Some work with partners who can help sharpen their positioning, write in their authentic voice and provide a steady cadence of material without adding to their workload.
Getting Started Without the Overwhelm
If you’re wondering how to take the first step, start with a few simple steps. And remember: visibility is about consistency, not perfection.
- Define your point of view. Ask yourself: what do I believe about the industry that my peers or prospects need to hear?
- Share one insight a week. This could be a trend you’ve noticed, a question customers keep asking or a lesson from your own career.
- Engage, don’t just broadcast. Reply to comments, thank people for their feedback and ask follow-up questions. That’s where credibility grows.
- Tie it back to business goals. Make sure your themes support your company’s strategy, so your voice is both authentic and aligned.
What Changes When Leaders Show Up
When executives lead with a visible voice, the impact cascades. Sales enters conversations with a head start, and marketing content gets amplified instead of ignored. Prospects begin to see the company as a trusted partner instead of just another vendor.
And most importantly, silence stops costing you deals.
So ask yourself: what would change if your leadership team started showing up consistently? How much trust could you build before the first sales call even happens?
The First Step Is Simply Showing Up
Every missed post, every invisible leader, every stalled decision makes progress harder. You’re not going to become a “thought leader” overnight. But small steps can reap big benefits for your business and your teams.
The time to start is now. View our recent webinar on executive visibility and see how showing up can change business outcomes.
