Lead With Why: How to Position Yourself as a Thought Leader in Your Industry
Founders, innovators, product managers: When you’re building something new, it’s easy to start ignoring the why. It’s even more likely that you forget to be vocal about why. Then you finally have something ready for investors or the market—but you feel like you’re starting at zero again. Your idea of what is new and better […]
Authenticity in a World of Thought Leadership
Nothing is new. Nothing is true. This dictum may seem strange when advocating for thought leadership, but hear me out. Let’s take the Pythagorean theorem, for example. In one sense, what better “thought leadership” than having a fundamental principle named after you? But: Back to thought leadership, what does this all mean? If becoming a […]
The “Graceful” Approach to Thought Leadership
The “Graceful” Approach to Thought Leadership Thought leadership is a challenge. Both people and companies get lost when trying to find meaningful ideas, focus on making them relevant, and figure out how to share them in compelling ways. It becomes awkward and uncoordinated. To overcome the challenge, you can approach thought leadership with ease and […]
Cultivating Grace in Thought Leadership
What does it mean to talk about graceful thought leaders? What could thought leadership have to do with grace in the first place? And what would it look like to step away from spamming, pitching, shouting in crowded places? Your thinking and attention might just feel…better I’ll be writing about the why, what, and how […]
Balancing Innovation and Advocacy
Startups in B2B are justifiably very focused on being in “build mode.” But they shouldn’t lose sight of how to be in “communicate mode” as well. Many founders are not even naturally inclined to be vocal advocates. But when you’re innovating, you also have to be a clear voice on why the problem you are […]
Embracing Playfulness, Flexibility, and Resilience
Be an octopus. No, not putting your (unwanted) arms and hands everywhere. But like this: The octopus is PLAYFUL. They have been observed short-circuiting their tank lighting, spraying water at people, and throwing items. They are masters of mimicry. They even seem to prank other animals. The octopus is FLEXIBLE. They can unlock cage doors […]
Decoding the Myth of Data-Driven Objectivity
Relying on data is often nothing more than outsourcing your subjectivity. Data doesn’t say anything. People say things. Saying things takes sense-making. Sense depends on human context.
The Power of Thought Leadership for High-Stakes Decisions
One thing B2B marketers often get wrong—they use generic, mass-market tactics for small-to-mid-sized businesses when their buyers are large enterprises. They put traffic ahead of trust. This mistake seems more common among smaller and newer providers, but it happens elsewhere, too. The thing is, the buying decision for a high-stakes, high-ticket purchase doesn’t work like […]
Breaking Free from the Commodity Box
So many thought leadership efforts get stuck in the commodity box. So how can they break out and keep out? First, focus on insight. Make sure you’re not just creating safe or informational content. It’s easy, but low value. Instead, help people rethink an issue. Next, make your POV personal. The best thought leadership shares […]
Prepping for Thought Leadership Success in 2024
Now is a great time to take inventory of your thought leadership capabilities ahead of detailed 2024 planning. Here are several core questions you should be asking yourself now: