Are We Still Listening? What LinkedIn Teaches Us About Performance Culture

LinkedIn has become the professional world’s marketplace, town square, and billboard all rolled into one. Scroll for two minutes and you’ll find job promotions, tips from industry experts, personal triumphs, carousel posts with just enough mystery to make you click, and of course, a healthy mix of “humble brags” and soft pitches.

But here’s the question a lot of us are quietly asking:

Is anyone actually reading what we post, or are we all just here to sell something?

The Scroll-and-Sell Cycle

Let’s be honest. For many, LinkedIn has become a well-lit shop window. Whether you’re selling a product, a service, or yourself as a thought leader, visibility is currency. And that’s okay, business happens through visibility.

But, it’s easy to fall into a rhythm of shouting into the void and wondering if anyone is truly engaging beyond the like button. We spend time crafting posts, adding value, showing personality, and sharing insights. And then… crickets. Or worse, engagement that feels surface-level, polite, but not connected.

At RPO Global, we see a similar pattern in many of the organisations we work with. Performance conversations become routine. Team meetings are held, but not heard. KPI dashboards are updated, but not felt. Leaders are visible, but not always impactful. It’s not that people don’t care; it’s just that many teams are caught in a cycle of doing, not connecting.

Which leads us to the next question:

So Who Is Listening?

It turns out, more people than you think.

The lurkers. The clients who never like a single post, but bring it up in a meeting. The colleague who messages you months later and says, “I loved that thing you shared about burnout.”

Sometimes, LinkedIn isn’t about instant feedback; it’s about long-tail trust. You’re building credibility in the quiet moments.

The same principle applies in leadership and performance culture. It’s not always the loudest voices or the flashiest dashboards that drive the biggest changes. It’s the consistency. The intention. The small, human moments of clarity when a team leader checks in, not just checks a box. When a manager has the space to coach, not just manage.

That’s why we do what we do.

RPO Global creates and delivers people solutions that help organisations shift from operational overwhelm to strategic impact.

We do this by blending human and digital interventions, partnering with our clients to enable their managers to elevate their leadership, build trust, and create truly high-performing teams.

The irony? The same way your thoughtful LinkedIn post might quietly inspire someone weeks down the track, a well-supported leader can quietly transform a team from the inside out.

It’s Not Just a Stage — It’s a Conversation (If You Let It Be)

The magic of LinkedIn is not just in broadcasting, it’s in connecting. The challenge is breaking out of the “posting to promote” mindset and embracing a dialogue. Ask questions. Share something unpolished. Respond to other people’s content with more than just emojis. Treat it less like a megaphone and more like a round table.

We believe leadership should feel the same way.

Too often, organisations focus on performance outputs rather than performance culture. But what drives results isn’t pressure, it’s purpose. It’s not just about setting expectations, it’s about creating the conditions for people to show up, speak up, and grow.

When we work with teams, we don’t just drop in a new process and hope it sticks. We design people solutions that start with connection: real conversations, meaningful metrics, tools that help leaders lead, and systems that help teams thrive.

So… Should You Keep Posting?

Yes.

But post with intention. Not every post has to be a pitch. Not every caption needs a CTA. Sometimes, the most powerful thing you can do is show up with curiosity, honesty, or a small story that makes someone feel a little less alone in their own professional chaos.

Likewise, should you keep managing people the way you always have?

Only if it’s working. But if your leaders are overwhelmed, your teams are stuck in firefighting mode, and your culture feels reactive instead of proactive, then it might be time to rethink the way performance is being approached altogether.

At RPO Global, we help our clients move from noise to clarity, from process to purpose.

We equip leaders to stop shouting into the void — and start leading conversations that matter. Conversations that drive accountability. That encourage growth. That move beyond the tick-box and toward transformation.

Because whether it’s a post on LinkedIn or a 1:1 between a team leader and their direct report — what matters most isn’t the platform, it’s the intention behind it.

Keep Showing Up — But Show Up Differently

The truth is, people are reading. Not always loudly. Not always immediately. But if you’re showing up with purpose instead of just trying to sell something, they’re more likely to stick around.

And the same is true for performance culture. Your people are watching. Listening. Waiting for leadership that feels real, not rehearsed. Systems that support, not just measure. Culture that inspires, not just instructs.

So yes, keep posting.

And keep leading.

But do it with the kind of intention that sparks real connection, because in the end, that’s what drives high performance. Not just clicks or compliance, but culture. Real, human, accountable culture.

That’s what we build. And we’d love to help you build it too.