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 holes?
If we had a clear formula for how to Thought Leader, we’d have a definitive answer. We’d check the recipe card and say, “That won’t work! A thought leader always has at least 8% Hot Takes!”
And wouldn’t it be nice if becoming a respected thought leader was as easy as following a step-by-step formula?
Start with a baseline of experience (7-10 years). Stir in some big ideas. Bubble over the heat of a changing industry. And post whatever comes out on LinkedIn at 9 am Eastern. Poof! Watch the magazine editors, conference organizers, and publishers line up to sign you as their next big thinker.
But, unfortunately, it doesn’t really work that way. There is no ONE definition of thought leadership that we can all mold ourselves to follow. Thought leaders can have a whole range of personalities, preferences, experiences, quirks, and communication styles. What’s important isn’t fitting the mold but boldly creating your own.
Back to the question:
Can you be a thought leader AND shy away from controversy?
Since we’ve established that there is no formula, my answer is, of course, “it depends!”
Sure, you can be a naturally optimistic person who loves to find opportunities to improve without burning everything down or collecting enemies along the way. Some people can walk that tightrope.
So yes, you CAN be a thought leader and avoid controversy.
How to be a thought leader YOUR way
In fact, you can be a thought leader AND show a lot of other unexpected traits (because, again, no formula).
- Can you be a thought leader AND a private person? (Yes, and I consider myself both.)
- Can you be a thoughtful person AND need help expressing your thoughts? (Yes, and I call them “clients.”)
- Can you be a thought leader AND focus your efforts on responding to other people’s ideas? (Yes, and my term for this category is “curators.” It’s an excellent entry point to thinking in public.)
- Can you be a thought leader AND change your mind? (I sure hope so! We have to leave room for even the most public thinkers to evolve their opinions based on new information. But if you shift your message in a way that violates your core values, you might lose your audience.)
So, let’s forget trying to nail down exactly what makes any one person’s thought leadership shine. Because you’re not going to be able to copy their unique spark. You have to find your own, and your thought leadership formula will look different than anyone else’s.
