A client told me recently they “didn’t feel qualified” to write about their work. They’ve been solving complex communications challenges for fifteen years, advising organizations on strategy, and teaching others in their field. But thought leadership? That’s for the famous consultants, the authors, the conference keynote speakers. Not them.
This is the disconnect I see constantly. People with genuine expertise assume they’re not “thought leaders” because they’re not industry celebrities. But thought leadership isn’t about being a celebrity or industry guru. It’s about sharing insights from your actual experience and expertise.
It’s teaching what you’ve learned through doing the work. Contributing new perspectives or frameworks to your field. Helping others understand something better because of what you’ve figured out.
Embrace your 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗲
You know more than you think you do. Your combination of experiences creates a unique viewpoint. You don’t need to be the world’s leading authority. You need to know more than the people you’re trying to help.
What is the benefit to you? Thought leadership builds trust and credibility. When potential clients read your perspective on industry challenges, they hire you already valuing your approach. Ideas and perspective set you apart.
So how do you get started?
Start with questions people repeatedly ask you. Look at problems you solve regularly. What patterns do you see? What approaches have you developed?
Think about what you wish someone had told you five years ago. What would have saved you time or prevented mistakes? That’s valuable to people where you were five years ago.
Your specific context can also be a starting point. Your industry, geography, or specialization creates a unique lens.
𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀
Thought leadership isn’t just reporting what happened. It’s extracting the lesson. The “so what” question is critical. Why should others care about your experience? What can they apply to their own work?
To get started, focus on one small area where you have deep experience. Write about one aspect of one thing you do well. The three-step process you use for X. The mistake you see repeatedly and how to avoid it.
To keep track of potential focus topics, keep an ideas file. Note questions that clients ask repeatedly. Pay attention to what surprises you in projects.
If you’ve been doing meaningful work for several years, you have insights worth sharing. Thought leadership isn’t reserved for famous consultants. It’s available to anyone willing to translate their expertise into teachable content.
Start with one thing you know well. Write 300 words about one aspect of it. Share it somewhere. Repeat regularly.
What’s one insight from your work this week that someone earlier in their career would find valuable?
I also share these blog posts on LinkedIn – visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/sbowness/ to connect with me there. Or hire me to help you develop your thought leadership content strategy!
