I was recently consulting with a woman entrepreneur, I’ll call her Rose, prior to her participation in an industry association meeting. Her goal for the meeting was to move forward some change initiatives in her industry and gain more recognition for her start-up. Since she was not an invited speaker, we knew she would have to work harder to gain attention for her ideas and gain the notice she deserved. Here are [...]
For many years I've been fascinated by the concept of archetypes as they provide an efficient and useful shortcut to understanding complex ideas. And while I am no Joseph Campbell, I have spent the last dozen years working with and studying thought leaders and learning about and writing about thought leadership. During that time, I have identified 7 different (and sometimes overlapping) archetypes that summarize the motivations of the thought leaders that I [...]
Ever been with someone at a networking event or a business meeting where they failed to introduce you? It can be both painful and awkward...and it doesn't have to be that way! Here's a technique that I learned from my friend and mentor, Sam Horn about how to not just introduce but to 'credentialize' someone so that you're making true connections. This can also be a great thought leadership technique when used online [...]
People often ask me what it takes to become a thought leader so here's my light-hearted recipe for success. I believe you must start with a whole-hearted, purpose-driven leader and add at least 2 cloves of creativity. Read on for the complete, time-tested recipe.
One phrase I keep hearing from companies I’ve been (virtually) speaking for in the last few months is “transformation”. Digital transformation, business process transformation, whole company transformation – it’s all another way of saying companies and organizations of all sizes are undergoing change. So, if change is the new normal (and I think it always was), what role will you play as a champion of change? In this edition of the [...]
Over the last 10+ years, I've spent many hours writing about, speaking about, and teaching about thought leadership and I’ve noticed that people often confuse building their personal brand with becoming a thought leader. Many believe that if they have a strong personal brand, they are automatically a thought leader. Unfortunately, it just doesn't work like that. The truth is, you can have a strong personal brand and not be a thought leader and [...]
This last year was a doozy and most of the C-Suite executives I know hunkered down, just trying to keep the job they have and keep their teams and companies on track. But with vaccine access becoming widespread, it feels like hope is (finally) on the horizon. And with that hope comes a new focus on … what’s next? You may be asking yourself should I position myself for a new, bigger [...]
Here’s what I’ve been thinking about lately…what’s the difference between someone who is an expert in their field and someone who is a well-known expert? And what about someone who is a well-known expert in their field vs. someone who is a well-respected thought leader? Often the terms expert and thought leader are used synonymously, but actually, I believe that while expertise is a pre-requisite for thought leadership, being an expert is [...]
I was on the phone recently with Holly Hamann, Co-Founder, and CMO of TapInfluence, talking about how they have been building a thought leadership culture throughout their organization. Holly shared some of her lessons learned and then we got to talking about some of the myths and misconceptions that scare people away from taking their first steps to building influence. Given that it’s almost Halloween, I thought I’d share a few of [...]
Every entrepreneur and executive needs a safe place to test their ideas and expand their thinking. Is it time to join a mastermind? Some years ago, I participated in a magical retreat on the shores of Morro Bay in Southern California. The combination of a squadron of pelicans, pods of porpoises, and a plethora of fascinating people definitely made this a weekend to remember. The retreat was hosted by my friend and [...]
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