Eric Partaker
The CEO Coach | CEO of the Year | McKinsey, Skype | Bestselling Author | CEO Accelerator | Follow for Inclusive Leadership & Sustainable Growth
Eric Partaker builds a 1.2M-follower leadership brand by publishing 8+ posts per week of numbered-list wisdom anchored in character-driven narratives, with his signature move being the bold opening statement that reframes conventional leadership wisdom (e.g., 'Never regret being a kind leader') followed by numbered principles that feel both timeless and immediately actionable.
8.2/wk
35 posts in 30d
1.4K
avg per post
17.1%
comments / total
8.4%
reposts / total
numbered list
Fri · 9 AM CET
Voice & tone
Partaker writes like a mentor who has seen enough boardrooms to know what actually works. His tone is calm, certain, and slightly contrarian—he doesn't shout or use hype. Instead, he uses phrases like 'Let me be clear' and 'Here's what I've learned' to signal hard-won wisdom. He treats readers as peers capable of mastery, not novices needing rescue.
Signature phrases
- “Let me be clear:”
- “Here's what I've learned about”
- “The thing about [topic]: You rarely see [outcome] in real time. But it compounds.”
- “Save this.”
- “I've seen one [small action] [big result].”
- “That's when it hit me.”
Top 3 posts, dissected
Their highest-engagement posts, broken down line by line. Steal the structure.
Never regret being a kind leader. The way you treat people comes back multiplied. I used to wonder if kindness was costing me. If being generous with my time, my patience, my belief in people was making me look weak. I questioned it. Then something happened. A former team member called me three years later. She said one conversation I'd had with her changed how she led her own team. I barely remembered it. But she never forgot. That's the thing about kindness in leadership: You rarely see the return in real time. But it compounds. Quietly. Relentlessly. Let me be clear: Kindness isn't weakness. Kindness isn't letting things slide. Kindness isn't avoiding tough calls. It's choosing respect when frustration would be easier. It's choosing patience when pressure says react. It's choosing people over ego. Here's how it comes back multiplied 👇 1. The person you believed in before they believed in themselves. They become your biggest advocate years later. 2. The grace you gave during someone's worst season. They remember. And they pay it forward to others. 3. The honest feedback you delivered with dignity. They grew from it instead of resenting you. 4. The credit you gave publicly when no one required it. Loyalty built in seconds. Lasting for years. 5. The time you listened when you had every reason to rush. Trust deepened. Communication opened permanently. 6. The second chance you offered without making it a spectacle. They showed up differently. Permanently. People don't forget how you made them feel. They remember the moment you treated them like they mattered. You will never lose by being kind. You might lose people who don't value it. But those aren't your people. The ones who stay? They'll build something remarkable with you. Never apologize for leading with kindness. It's not soft. It's rare. And it's exactly what people remember. ♻️ Repost and follow if this resonated. Thank you! 📌 P.S. Want 100+ cheat sheets & leadership resources? Get them here for free: https://lnkd.in/enHZ-Fwz
'Never regret being a kind leader' stops scroll because it directly contradicts the reader's internal fear—that kindness costs them competitive advantage. The period after 'leader' creates a hard stop, forcing engagement with the claim before explanation.
Opens with bold statement and fear acknowledgment ('I used to wonder if kindness was costing me'). Introduces a turning-point story (former team member calling three years later). Clarifies what kindness is NOT (weakness, letting things slide). Then delivers seven numbered principles showing how kindness compounds, each with a specific outcome.
- Stacked short sentences for rhythm: 'If being generous with my time, my patience, my belief in people was making me look weak.'
- Vulnerability admission: 'I questioned it.' This builds trust before the teaching.
- Negation pattern to define terms: 'Kindness isn't weakness. Kindness isn't letting things slide. Kindness isn't avoiding tough calls.'
- Consequence-forward numbering: Each principle shows the long-term return ('The person you believed in before they believed in themselves. They become your biggest advocate years later.').
The post ends with 'Save this. Sh...' (truncated), signaling a share/save CTA. This drives high engagement because readers feel they've received a framework worth preserving and sharing with their teams.
Open with a fear-based contradiction to your audience's beliefs, then spend the post proving it's safe to believe the opposite by showing specific, long-term returns.
Warren Buffett changed how I lead. He broke almost every rule of modern business. And outperformed everyone who followed them. Not by chasing trends. Not by being the loudest. Not by playing short-term games. He did it by Thinking clearly. Acting with integrity. Staying patie…
'Warren Buffett changed how I lead' works because it borrows authority (Buffett) and promises a personal transformation (changed how I lead), making the post feel like a masterclass rather than generic advice. The follow-up line ('He broke almost every rule of modern business') immediately justifies why readers should listen.
Establishes Buffett's contrarian success (outperformed everyone by NOT following trends). Signals the post will extract leadership principles from investing wisdom. Delivers seven numbered rules, each phrased as a timeless principle. Closes by elevating one rule (integrity) to a life principle, not just a hiring rule.
- Authority transfer: 'I've studied his letters, his interviews, his decisions. Not just the investing stuff. The leadership stuff. The character stuff.'
- Numbered principles with emoji for visual scannability: '1️⃣ Hire for character first.'
- Escalation of stakes: Moves from hiring rule to leadership rule to life rule, showing the principle's universal application.
- Closing with a Buffett quote to reinforce authority and make the post feel like distilled wisdom, not original opinion.
Ends with 'Save this. Sh...' (truncated), same as post 1. The seven rules are inherently saveable because they're numbered, memorable, and applicable across contexts.
Borrow authority from a respected figure, then extract principles that feel timeless by removing jargon and showing how each principle applies across multiple domains (hiring, leadership, life).
The kindest people you know aren't kind because life was easy. They're kind because they know what hard feels like. Everyone you meet is carrying something. A loss. A fear. A weight they'll never mention. You don't see it in the meeting. Or hear it on the call. Or notice it in…
'The kindest people you know aren't kind because life was easy' mirrors the structure of post 1's hook but adds a causal explanation, making it feel like a psychological insight rather than just a reframe. The follow-up ('They're kind because they know what hard feels like') creates immediate recognition and emotional validation.
Opens with observation about kindness and hardship. Transitions to universal truth ('Everyone you meet is carrying something'). Builds empathy by listing invisible struggles. Pivots to the leadership lesson ('One small moment of kindness can shift someone's entire day'). Delivers seven numbered principles about leading with kindness. Closes with a story callback showing impact.
- Stacked list of invisible struggles: 'A loss. A fear. A weight they'll never mention.' Each item on its own line for emotional weight.
- Negation to clarify: 'Kindness isn't weakness. It's awareness.' This reframes the entire concept in one sentence.
- Numbered principles that build on each other: Each principle adds a layer of understanding (you don't know their story → kindness costs nothing → people remember how you made them feel).
- Callback to opening observation: 'I've seen one kind word stop someone from quitting' connects the abstract principle to concrete outcome.
Closes with a question that invites reflection: 'Who was the leader that believed in you when you didn't believe in yourself?' This drives comments because readers want to share their own story of being believed in.
Use emotional observations (about invisible struggles) to build empathy before teaching principles, then close with a reflective question that invites readers to share their own experience in the comments.
What drives their engagement
Partaker's posts drive comments (17.1% of engagement) by closing with reflective questions or incomplete thoughts that invite personal stories. The post about 'Who was the leader that believed in you' explicitly asks readers to share, lowering the barrier to commenting. His numbered principles also create natural discussion points—readers comment to add their own examples or push back on a principle.
Reposts (8.4% of engagement) happen when posts feel like frameworks worth sharing with teams or direct reports. The seven numbered principles are inherently repostable because they're complete, memorable, and applicable. Posts about culture and toxic leadership also repost well because they validate frustrations readers experience but rarely see named publicly.
High savability. Posts are structured as numbered lists (50% of content) that readers can return to, screenshot, or share with their leadership team. The closing 'Save this' CTA is explicit. Posts about character, decision-making, and culture metrics are the types leaders bookmark for reference during hiring, promotion, or culture-building conversations.
Content pillars
Character-First Leadership
35%Posts about hiring for integrity, protecting reputation, and leading with kindness as a strategic advantage rather than a soft skill.
CEO Decision-Making Frameworks
30%Numbered lists of principles borrowed from figures like Warren Buffett or distilled from Partaker's own experience, teaching CEOs how to think longer and say no more.
Culture and People Metrics
20%Posts about the unmeasurable KPIs—how people feel, psychological safety, retention of top talent—that actually predict company success.
Contrarian Leadership Wisdom
15%Posts that flip conventional business advice on its head, arguing that kindness, patience, and long-term thinking outperform hustle and short-term optimization.
Hook patterns
Bold Reframe Statement
[Conventional belief] is actually [counterintuitive truth].
“Never regret being a kind leader. / Kindness isn't weakness.”
→ Stops scroll by promising to overturn what readers thought they knew, triggering curiosity and agreement from those already skeptical of hustle culture.
Contrarian Claim with Authority
[Famous person] broke almost every rule of [field] and outperformed everyone who followed them.
“Warren Buffett changed how I lead. He broke almost every rule of modern business. And outperformed everyone who followed them.”
→ Combines social proof with intellectual permission to ignore trends, making readers feel smart for considering an unconventional path.
Observation About Hidden Behavior
The [type of people] you know aren't [assumption] because [counterintuitive reason].
“The kindest people you know aren't kind because life was easy. They're kind because they know what hard feels like.”
→ Creates immediate recognition and emotional resonance by naming something readers have felt but never articulated.
Metric Inversion
The most important [business metric] most leaders never track.
“The most important KPI most leaders never track. We obsess over revenue growth... But the most powerful metric has no formula.”
→ Positions the post as revealing a hidden competitive advantage, making readers feel they're learning insider knowledge.
Consequence Statement
When you [negative leadership action], you [major business consequence].
“When you promote toxic people, you lose your best people.”
→ Creates urgency and stakes by connecting a specific behavior to a measurable loss, making the post feel immediately relevant to readers' current challenges.
Universal Observation with Specificity
Everyone you meet is carrying [invisible weight]. You don't see it in [specific context].
“Everyone you meet is carrying something. A loss. A fear. A weight they'll never mention. You don't see it in the meeting. Or hear it on the call.”
→ Builds empathy and psychological safety in the first three lines, priming readers to accept the leadership advice that follows.
Top-performing hooks
“Never regret being a kind leader.”
→ The post uses a relatable story to highlight the long-term benefits of kindness in leadership. The numbered list provides actionable advice, and the call to action encourages engagement and resource d
“Warren Buffett changed how I lead.”
→ The post leverages Warren Buffett's universal credibility as a trusted authority figure to validate timeless leadership principles, making the numbered list feel aspirational rather than generic. The
“The kindest people you know”
→ The post combines universal emotional truths with actionable leadership principles, using vulnerability and relatability to establish authority while the numbered framework provides concrete takeaways
“The most important KPI most leaders never track.”
→ The post uses a relatable personal anecdote to highlight the importance of often overlooked leadership qualities. It resonates by emphasizing the lasting impact of kindness and genuine connection over
“When you promote toxic people,”
→ The post opens with a punchy, emotionally charged statement that immediately resonates with anyone who has experienced or witnessed toxic workplace dynamics, making it highly shareable. The numbered g
“Every CEO faces the same impossible choice”
→ The post leverages a universally relatable leadership paradox to create immediate emotional resonance with CEOs and founders, then resolves the tension with a clear, actionable framework that position
“Every promotion is a public statement.”
→ The post highlights a common pain point (bad promotions) and offers actionable advice, making it relatable and valuable for leaders. The concluding question encourages engagement and sharing.
“What’s the difference between a $10M company”
→ The post opens with a provocative contrast ($10M vs $100M) that immediately creates curiosity and relevance for ambitious founders, then delivers six concrete, named frameworks that provide instant cr
“I've hired over 2,000 people in my career.”
→ The post provides actionable advice in a clear, numbered list format, making it easy to digest and implement. The personal anecdote adds credibility, and the call to action encourages engagement and p
“Brutal truth:”
→ The post uses a strong, relatable hook and provides actionable advice in a clear, numbered list format. It addresses a common pain point (micromanagement) and offers solutions, making it highly valuab
What works
- Bold statement hooks outperform all others: 61 posts using bold statements average 1554 engagement, while contrarian claims (10 posts) average 1955 engagement. The formula is to open with a claim that contradicts conventional wisdom, then spend the post proving it's safe to believe the opposite.
- Numbered lists dominate: 50% of posts use numbered lists (54 posts, avg 1577 engagement). Each number creates a stopping point and makes the post scannable, saveable, and shareable. Readers can extract one principle and apply it immediately.
- Story + numbered list hybrid performs best: The two posts combining story with numbered lists average 1968 engagement, outperforming pure numbered lists (1577). The pattern is: open with a personal story or observation that creates emotional resonance, then deliver numbered principles that explain the insight.
- Kindness and character themes drive highest engagement: Posts about leading with kindness, hiring for character, and protecting reputation consistently rank in the top 5 (posts 1, 3, 5 all focus on character/kindness). This suggests the audience is hungry for permission to lead differently than they've been taught.
- Closing with a reflective question drives comments: Post 3 closes with 'Who was the leader that believed in you when you didn't believe in yourself?' and generates 487 comments. This is 17% higher than the average comment rate, showing that explicit invitations to share personal stories unlock discussion.
- Contrarian framing with social proof: Posts that combine a contrarian claim with authority (Warren Buffett, research, personal experience) average 1955 engagement. Readers engage more when they feel intellectually justified in disagreeing with mainstream advice.
Steal this for your own LinkedIn
- Start your next post with a bold statement that contradicts what your audience believes, then spend the post proving it's safe to believe the opposite. Example: 'Saying no is more important than saying yes' or 'Your biggest competitive advantage isn't your product, it's your culture.'
- Structure your post as a numbered list (5-7 items) where each item is a principle with a one-sentence explanation of its outcome. Make each number scannable so readers can extract one insight and apply it immediately to their work.
- Close with a reflective question that invites readers to share their own story or experience. Avoid generic CTAs like 'What do you think?' Instead, ask something specific: 'Who was the [type of person] that changed how you lead?' This lowers the barrier to commenting.
- Open with a personal story or observation that creates emotional resonance before teaching. Spend 2-3 sentences building empathy (e.g., 'Everyone you meet is carrying something'), then pivot to the principle you're teaching. This makes the principle feel earned, not imposed.
- Use negation to clarify what you mean: 'Kindness isn't weakness. Kindness isn't letting things slide.' This pattern takes 1-2 sentences and reframes an entire concept, making readers feel understood and intellectually validated.
- Post on Friday mornings (8 AM UTC or your local equivalent) when your audience is in a reflective mindset. Avoid posting during peak work hours when readers are in execution mode rather than thinking about leadership philosophy.
Compare Eric with…
vs Matt Gray
Eric Partaker vs Matt Gray: Wisdom vs Systems on LinkedIn
vs Alex Hormozi
Alex Hormozi vs Eric Partaker: Speed beats depth on LinkedIn
vs Ruben Hassid
Eric Partaker vs Ruben Hassid: Wisdom vs Tactics on LinkedIn
vs Allie K. Miller
Allie K. Miller vs Eric Partaker: Insider access beats wisdom at scale
vs Andrew Ng
Andrew Ng vs Eric Partaker: Reach versus Conversation on LinkedIn
Get the full Eric Partaker playbook
Hook templates, content calendar, posting cadence, and the exact frameworks they use - delivered to your inbox.
Posting patterns
Partaker posts 8.2 times per week with 35 posts in the last 30 days, maintaining a consistent presence that keeps him visible without overwhelming followers. This high frequency works because each post is self-contained and doesn't require readers to follow a narrative thread.
Friday at 8 AM UTC performs best. This timing catches readers in a reflective end-of-week mindset, when they're thinking about leadership decisions and culture rather than in the urgency of mid-week execution.
Long-form posts (180-350 words) average 1435 engagement and represent 73% of his content. Very long posts (350+ words) average 1560 engagement. The sweet spot is 250-350 words—long enough to deliver numbered principles with explanation, short enough to read in one scroll without losing attention. Medium posts (80-180 words) underperform at 514 engagement, suggesting his audience wants depth over brevity.
Engagement by day
Content mix
avg 1.6K engagements per post
avg 1.1K engagements per post
avg 2.4K engagements per post
avg 2.0K engagements per post
Partaker's 50% numbered-list format works because his audience (CEOs and founders) are decision-makers who value frameworks they can apply immediately. The 32% problem-solution posts address specific challenges his audience faces (toxic culture, weak hiring, short-term thinking), making the content feel relevant to their current problems. The rare story posts (2%) perform exceptionally well (avg 2431 engagement) because they break the pattern and create emotional connection, but he doesn't overuse them—stories are the seasoning, not the main course. This mix keeps followers engaged without requiring them to follow a narrative arc; each post stands alone as a complete insight.
