LinkedIn Top Voices 2020: Meet the professionals driving today’s business conversation

Earlier this year, just before the pandemic shut down so much of the world, the renowned management professor Brené Brown wrote about what it takes to get people to want to follow you, especially in times of turmoil. She said the secret isn’t knowing a lot, it’s being someone who seeks to know. “When things get tough, do we lean in to vulnerability and get curious, or do we self-protect…?” she asked. She talked about the benefits of “grounded confidence” — the act of being curious, of being slow with answers, of trying to get it right instead of being right. 

I kept thinking of her formula while reviewing our 6th annual Top Voices list, a look at the creators driving today’s professional conversation. In post after post, video after video, this year’s honorees asked the questions and elevated the topics that were essential to their industries, their roles and their colleagues. With so much uncertainty around them, they didn’t preach prescriptions but instead sought ideas and shined a spotlight on others. And, as a result, these professionals found the world gravitating to their voices.

There’s New York-based Minda Harts, who’s leading the conversation around racial equity in the workplace. Dr. Noel Yeo, a physician in Singapore, documenting his experiences fighting COVID-19 on the frontlines. Adrienne Tom, a career coach in Canada, sharing resources for job seekers looking to land their next position in a challenging job market. And Steven Wolfe Pereira, an entrepreneur in Los Angeles, who has been using his platform to highlight voices in the LatinX and Black communities while raising awareness about the pandemic’s impact on education.

Finding these great contributors across the vast LinkedIn universe also takes asking questions, both of the data and of ourselves. The first filter we use is quantitative: we look at engagement (including reactions, comments and shares across each member’s content); posting cadence; and follower growth. But engagement is just a start. LinkedIn News editors then refine and curate the list by looking at an eligible member’s body of work: Are the contributions insightful, conversational and timely? Do they seek to give and get help vs. being self-promotional? Finally, does this list reflect the world we work and live in today? All sharing activity measured took place over a 12-month period, from October 1, 2019 through September 30, 2020. We excluded current LinkedIn and Microsoft employees from consideration, as well as any members who are being or have been paid by LinkedIn to participate in brand campaigns or courses.

Remember that anyone can harness a community on LinkedIn. Grounded confidence is something you build, not something you’re born with. If you’re not sure where to start, follow these words of advice from 2020’s Top Voices: 

• Your voice matters. Tracy Churchill, a Top Voice in Frontline Health Care, experienced imposter syndrome when she first started sharing. “Then I remembered that EVERYONE has something to offer,” she says. “And it is generous to share. Please donate your ideas to us!”
• Engage in conversation. “Something as small as asking people a question like ‘What are your goals?’ or ‘What’s your best advice on…?’ is the perfect way to open up the airways to networking and making new connections,” says Daymond John, an honoree on the U.S. Influencer list. “You’ll be amazed at the response and see how many people are just looking to connect on a human level again, especially as we continue to navigate these virtual waters.”
• Stay focused. Zeta Yarwood, a Top Voice in the Gulf region, says she gets unsolicited advice all the time about what she should and shouldn’t be doing with her content. “Be brave enough to stay in your lane,” says Yarwood. “Speak your truth and you will find your tribe.”
• Provide value. Many Top Voices stressed the importance of thinking about your audience and how you may be able to help them. Share what you’re learning, failing and succeeding with, says Kevin “KD” Dorsey, a Top Voice in Sales. “I promise there is one person out there that can learn something from you.” 

Here are this year’s #LinkedInTopVoices around the world — and if you see one who inspires you, follow them to get their insights in your feed.