If you’re in the United States, I hope you’re enjoying a wonderful, celebratory Fourth of July weekend.
Last week, I wrote about the fact that thought leadership is earned, not claimed.
It is not a label you give yourself because it sounds good in your bio. It is something other people begin to call you when your ideas are clear, strong, and consistent enough that they associate your name with a particular kind of insight.
If you missed that piece, you can read it here.
But that raises the next obvious question.
If thought leadership depends on having a clear point of view, how do you actually find yours?
This is where many authors and experts get stuck.
They know a great deal, and they care deeply about their subject. They have years of experience, good credentials, and genuinely useful things to say, but when it comes time to explain what makes their perspective distinct, they often go vague.
They talk about helping people and serving others. They talk about their big mission and how they want to make a difference in the world. And all of that may be true, but it is not yet a point of view.
A point of view is not your topic.
It is your position within the topic.
Hang with me for a minute.
It is what you believe that others in your field miss, overlook, misunderstand, or get wrong. It is the perspective that shapes how you teach, how you speak, how you pitch yourself, and how people begin to remember you. It is how you are unique and different from everyone else out there speaking on your topic.
And if you want stronger publicity, better interviews, and a more memorable brand, that clarity is nonnegotiable. You must have it.
So now we are back to the original question. Where does a real point of view come from?
It usually does not come from trying to sound impressive. That is often ego talking.
It comes from paying attention to everything around you.
What do you keep noticing that others seem to miss? What do you disagree with in your field?
What do people keep getting wrong? What pattern have you seen over and over again through your own experience? What do you most want your audience to understand?
Those questions are often far more useful than asking, “What should I post about?” or “How do I sound like a thought leader?”
A point of view is not invented for marketing. It is usually uncovered through conviction, experience, observation, and most of all, clarity.
Media Darling Moment: Your point of view is not your topic. It is the position you take within the topic.
Let me give you an example.
Years ago, I worked with an author I will call Robert. He had a strong message about purpose and knowing your why. He cared deeply about it, believed in it, and knew it could help people.
The problem was that he was stepping into a space that was already crowded. In fact, at the time, Simon Sinek owned that territory. Robert did not need more passion. He did not need a bigger mission. He needed a clearer position.
Once we looked more closely, the distinction became obvious.
Simon helped people find their why.
Robert helped people take the next specific steps to put that why into action.
That was the shift. Sounds simple. It was huge and helped define everything afterwards.
He stopped sounding like one more voice in the “know your why” conversation and started sounding like someone with his own place in it.
And that is a big part of how you find your point of view too.
Ask yourself: Where does my work begin in relation to what is already being said? What do I add that others are not adding? What do I see, teach, or emphasize that is missing? How am I unique?
Your point of view is often hiding in the difference between your topic and your position within that topic. That is when your message gets sharper, people begin to understand why you instead of someone else, and your publicity gets stronger.
It is also when people begin calling you a thought leader.
To your success!
Joanne
P.S. This week’s song says it perfectly: Express Yourself!
P.P.S. Happy Birthday, America!
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