How I Consistently Create Thought Leadership

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Every Friday, I publish Leading Disruption on LinkedIn.?

I’ve been publishing consistently since May 2021. I’ve shared more than 60 issues of Leading Disruption so far!

How do I create that much thought leadership content? And do it consistently?

Here are some best practices I’ve learned over the last year and a half.

1. Know your audience.

Sure, everyone’s on LinkedIn. But you’re not trying to reach everyone!?

As a leader, you probably want to connect with vendors, customers, or leaders. Understanding your audience helps you pinpoint their unique challenges and address their needs.?

2. Start with headlines — not topics.?

The simplest way to brainstorm ideas is to think about your audience’s problem, your solution, and the actions they need to take.

Usually, people say, “Okay, great, I’ve got a topic!”

But I encourage you to think in terms of headlines instead.

Why?

Because headlines have a point of view and hint at the value you’re creating.

For example: three ways to increase your thought leadership. Or: five common mistakes to avoid when practicing thought leadership.

Much different from just jotting down “thought leadership” or “disruption,” right?

Every time you discover a problem a client is having, put a headline behind it.

3. Collect evidence.

Evidence signals to your audience that you’re an expert.

It’s what says, “Look, this probably exists!” And it’s what tells your audience you understand their problem, that your solution is the right solution, that the actions you recommend are the right actions.

Evidence comes in many forms: research, data, surveys, focus groups, testimonials, case studies, work with previous clients, a conversation you just had about this challenge, even how you’ve had to solve this problem yourself.

The more evidence you can collect underneath your headlines, the more ammunition you have to work with.

4. Don’t just sit down to write.

Unless you have a writing habit and are comfortable creating content every day, I encourage you not to sit in front of your computer and just start writing.

It’s not going to be your most natural way of communicating!

Instead, try talking your story. You can record an audio or record a video and use the transcript as a starting point for the text. You could even start with an outline or PowerPoint slides. The most important thing is to create in a way that feels comfortable, natural, and easy for you.

Two other things that make the writer process much easier?

Getting an accountability buddy, someone who can give you feedback and be honest about what’s working and what’s not.?

And blocking off time on your schedule. If you don’t make writing a priority and treat yourself as your most important client, you’ll keep pushing “create content” to the bottom of your to-do list.

5. Get specific.?

Good thought leadership content is incredibly specific. It’s not just high-level ideas. It’s going deep and clearly defining the problems and solutions.

You might not always be able to name names. (It’s great if you can! It helps put a face to the problem.) But it’s not always possible. That’s why you have to be clear about the problem and give your audience as many details as possible to be credible.

A caveat: Being specific doesn’t mean using industry jargon!?

Words like synergies, core competencies, and benchmarking sometimes cause more confusion than clarity.?

Instead, write or talk like you’re having a conversation with your mom or an eighth grader. I guarantee your mom or a fourteen-year-old doesn’t know what a synergy is!

If you’re practicing any kind of thought leadership on platforms like LinkedIn, these are simple, actionable ways to make your content more powerful.

Remember: Always start with your audience, the problem, and the solution — and share consistently because thought leadership is demonstrated expertise over time. It’s not just one piece of content.

Your Turn

I’m curious: Are you sharing thought leadership? Do you like writing articles, creating videos, or something else? What’s helped you hit “publish” consistently? Let me know in the comments!

I’ll be back next week on Tuesday, September 13 at 9 am PT , for an important discussion about radical acceptance. I hope you’ll join me – it’s going to be a thought-provoking conversation. (PS, have you noticed that I queued up issues of Leading Disruption before I left for Burning Man these last two weeks? #Consistency !)