Why the Best MDs Won’t Make Visibility Another Task

Most Managing Directors don’t struggle to see the value of visibility.

They struggle with how to introduce it without creating risk, distraction, or discomfort for their team.

Because in professional services, visibility isn’t neutral.

Done badly, it can:

• dilute credibility
• pull focus from billable work
• make capable professionals look awkward

So teams hesitate.

Not because they don’t care.
Not because they lack confidence.
And not because they “don’t like LinkedIn”.

They hesitate because no one has defined what’s expected - or what’s safe.

The mistake leaders quietly make

When MDs want teams to be more visible, they often jump straight to behaviour.

Post more.
Engage more.
Be present.

The intention is sound.
The execution isn’t.

Because without clear boundaries, visibility feels risky.

Professionals don’t ask:
“Can I do this?”

They ask:
“What if I get it wrong?”

And in environments where reputation matters, silence feels safer than ambiguity.

What changed when this worked

The firm had five people - an HR consultancy with strong client relationships and solid delivery. Only the MD was visible.

Before any training happened, the MD did something most leaders skip.

She:

• asked the team what they were actually unsure about
• listened to concerns about looking self-promotional
• explained what visibility was for - and what it wasn’t
• made it clear this wasn’t about performance targets

That conversation did the heavy lifting.

By the time the team began working on visibility, they weren’t resistant.
They were ready - because the rules were finally clear.

The behaviours were deliberately simple:

• like with purpose
• comment with insight
• share or post something straightforward

Nothing performative.
Nothing time-consuming.
Nothing that competed with billable work.

Within the first week, the team was active.

A month later, they still are.

Impressions are up across the board - not just for the MD, but for everyone.

And critically, the MD hasn’t had to keep pushing.

What teams actually need before visibility sticks

The team didn’t need motivation.

They needed three things in place first:

Competence - simple, practical guidance they could use immediately

Confidence - reassurance they wouldn’t look unprofessional

Permission - explicit leadership approval that this behaviour was appropriate

Once those were clear, visibility stopped being “another task”.

It became a natural extension of work they were already doing.

The MD didn’t have to manufacture enthusiasm.
She just had to remove ambiguity.

Visibility isn’t a confidence issue

This is where many MDs misdiagnose the problem.

They assume hesitation equals lack of confidence.

It rarely does.

What looks like reluctance is usually professionalism.

People are protecting their reputation, the firm’s standards, and client relationships.

Until leadership defines what’s appropriate, silence is the rational choice.

The leadership shift that unlocks visibility

When MDs stop asking:
“How do I get my team to show up?”

And start asking:
“How do I make this safe, clear, and worthwhile?”

Everything changes.

Visibility stops being “another task”.
It becomes a natural extension of the work already being done.

Participation increases.
Quality stays high.
And the firm’s expertise becomes visible without noise.

How I work with firms at this stage

Most firms don’t need louder visibility.

They need clearer leadership around it.

I work with Managing Directors to design visibility that fits how professional teams actually work - so expertise travels, trust builds, and growth doesn’t rely on one person carrying the firm.

If you’re ready to address this properly, Corporate Visibility Training details are here.