Here are the two most deadly words to Thought Leadership:
“It depends.”
As an expert, you know, of course, that oftentimes it does depend. And it depends on a lot of variables.
After all, expertise is the land of, “trust me, it’s complicated.”
But for the people that need a Thought Leader, that answer simply isn’t going to do.
They want someone to tell them “how it is.” They want hard, fast, simple, and easy answers.
And it’s your job to give them those answers.
Yes, you can get more complicated as they grow and learn, but for the first several steps of their journey, they just need you to simplify it.
That means a “yes” or a “no.” It means, “do this, not that.” It means, “this is how this thing works and this is what you do.”
That’s why Thought Leaders publish works entitled, “The Secret to __________.”
Not, “The 36 Variables That Go Into Deciding Step One of A 54 Step Process and How To Prioritize Them In Some Situations, But Not In Others.”
As they learn more, they’ll come to understand on their own that it’s complicated, and you’re going to meet them when they get there.
But for now, beginners need rules and absolutes.
Speaking of rules and absolutes, one sure-fire step you absolutely must take is to register to receive my free daily thought leadership emails, which will help you with all this and more. You can subscribe at You Can Be A Thought Leader.