Your Mid-Year Review: Reflection Prompts
2024 is halfway behind us. This middle point in the year feels like a good time to pause and reflect. Reflection is a thought leader’s superpower, but most people don’t pause to reflect often enough. So, I invite you to save these prompts and pull them out when you’re feeling relaxed, rested, and creative. I […]
You Get One Idea
How would you describe yourself in one word? It’s a tough question, even for the most self-aware among us. We contain multitudes, and any given person has a wide range of attributes that describe them, depending on the day, the season, and who you’re asking. Funny. Optimistic. Confident. Intelligent. Kind. Humble. Strong. Now, […]
There Is No Magic Formula for Thought Leadership
My friend Alyssa asked me a question earlier this week, and I’m still thinking about it: Can you be a thought leader AND shy away from controversy? In other words, can you change an industry without pushing any buttons or being perceived as a “challenger”? Can you be a positive, optimistic person who highlights opportunities rather than […]
3 Things Thought Leaders Need to Know as ‘AI Slime’ Takes Over the Internet
New month, new terrifying headlines about AI’s growing power. This week, I read an explainer in Fast Company called Is the ‘Dead Internet’ theory suddenly coming true? This could be a sign. The premise: what was once a fringe theory (the internet is increasingly dominated by bot-created content, not human thoughts) is becoming more and […]
Thought Leadership Idea Starter: Chase the Sparks
Do you know what sets thought leaders apart? It’s not that they’re smarter than other people. They’re not more intuitive. They’re not even necessarily better at their jobs. But they have trained themselves to do one specific thing: They chase the sparks. What is a spark? Sparks are the little moments, ideas, and questions that […]
What are the Ingredients in Your “Secret Sauce”?
“I don’t want to give away my secret sauce!” I hear this all the time from thought leaders. They want to *hint* at the magic behind their work, but they’re afraid of revealing too much. Spoiler alert: unless you’re sharing your ATM pin or you work with nuclear codes, no one can somehow swoop in […]
Want to Be More Interesting? Get More Specific
If you are fascinated by your work — all the juicy details and new things to learn and exciting developments — then why do other people’s eyes glaze over when you go into Work Talk mode? How can you help people who don’t work with you, or who don’t know much about your field, care […]
“I’m Not an Expert”
“I’m not an expert, so I don’t know if I should be the one talking here.” It’s one of the first nervous arguments I hear from people who want to develop their thought leadership, but they’re not sure if they have permission. Who are they to share their opinions? What do they really know, anyway? […]
Three Ways to Get Ideas Flowing When You’re Feeling Stuck
![target practice [thought leadership is a practice]](https://viewfinderpartners.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/get-unstuck-1024x1024.png)
“I feel stuck. I’m not sure what to say, so I won’t say anything.” Do you know that feeling? So many of the people I work want to develop big, exciting ideas. But the process to get to those ideas can be long and frustrating. Sometimes, even the most prolific thinkers start to feel stuck. […]
How to Get Started as a Thought Leader: Look Inward, Not Outward
Reflect on these simple questions for a minute. What are you working on right now? And what have you been thinking about lately? I’m sure you have answers to those questions. But now, one more question: Who knows about it? Aha. Here’s where most people get quiet. Most of us are missing the […]
