Edition 01 – May 2025

By Aidan McRae

Sound like yourself – only sharper.

The smartest men don’t write to impress, they write to connect.

They often write like humans.

They drop the buzzwords and speak directly to the person reading – whether that be a customer, teammate, or investor. This is how they get their ideas to spread.

Writing like a leader does not mean sounding “professional”. It means writing clearly, confidently and above all, making it relatable.

I’ve seen many LinkedIn users use their posts like a pitch deck.

• Company Milestones
• Personal Trophies
• Big Ideas in Bold Text

It might be polished. Impressive, even. It doesn’t gain trust – it gains a scroll.

Others will share a story, a tough story from a tough customer call, or they admit they’re still figuring it all out.

One sounds like a PR campaign, made to show off. The other sounds more human, and for that simple fact, it gains more trust.

Storytelling is important – it gives others insights into how you work and what you’re willing to do, which could be the key to your next big lead. You can share what you’ve achieved, but how did you achieve it?

I’m curious to know if others are noticing this. What’s your way of approaching Leadership writing?

Professional-sounding writing is often fear hidden within a suit, hiding what you really mean and weakening your message.

When I first started writing, I found myself using “bigger” and “smarter-sounding words”, thinking this made it professional and would earn respect. It backfired.

The truth is, leaders don’t need to sound smart. They need to sound real. Clarity is more important than polish. Every time.

Somebody once told me;

“Write to be quoted”

This stuck – thousands of ways to interpret those four simple words, but one way to use them. Let them sink in, do you write for it to be repeated?

From simple quotes your team will say after a meeting, to massive quotes plastered on billboards. It doesn’t matter how or where it’s used, but you made it memorable.

Those words changed my whole view on writing and what you’re trying to achieve when you write.

Next time you’re writing your next post, ask yourself:

“Would I say this out loud to someone I respect?”

If not, scrap it.

Records are impressive.

Honesty is understanding.