“We need more thought leadership” is one of the most common requests I hear from executives and marketing teams. What usually follows is a content calendar: a blog post a week, a LinkedIn article a month, a keynote or two.
The calendar is fine. What’s often missing is the thought.
The test: would anyone disagree?
A real point of view is one that a reasonable person in your industry could argue against. “Customer experience matters” is not a point of view. “Most companies should spend less on acquiring customers and twice as much on the first ninety days after purchase” is.
If no one would disagree, you’re publishing consensus. Consensus doesn’t get remembered, shared, or invited onto stages.
Where good ideas come from
The best thought leadership usually comes from one of three places:
- Something you’ve seen that others haven’t — a pattern across clients, markets, or years.
- Something you’ve changed your mind about — and why.
- Something your industry gets wrong — said with evidence and generosity, not contempt.
Spend an hour listing candidates in each category before you write a single post.
Then build a body of work
One strong idea, explored from several angles over months, does more than twenty unrelated posts. Readers begin to associate you with a position. Journalists and event organizers start calling because they know what you stand for.
Consistency matters, but it’s consistency of argument, not just of schedule. Publish less, think more, and make every piece something only you could have written.