Spark new thinking.

Guest blog post on the Speakerfile site.
By Pauline Weger
founder & ceo of Signature thinkers and on the board of advisors to Speakerfile.

Working with the leaders who sell and deliver professional services, run an association or lead a nonprofit, there’s a question that I hear over and again:

How can we become known for our ideas + insights when there’s competition coming at us from every angle…from market-leading corporations, fast-growing mid-market companies, emerging association competitors, and nimble, niche players?

What has changed in today’s reset world is that ideas can be shared – and built upon – faster than ever before. In fact, great thinking can get to highly targeted decision-makers with laser focus. Advances in online media and even innovations in print processes are making a world of difference.

What hasn’t changed is that customers want insights. They value timely, relevant and fact-based thinking from professionals with a grip on the issues and the experience to shape options.

Oh, and customers, conference organizers, media and influencers simply need to be able to find you.

Becoming a visible expert.

It’s not enough to know your market. Your market needs to know you. You need to be more than an expert in your field. You need to be a visible expert. What does that mean?

It means leading in the online + offline world. It means showcasing your knowledge through channels that matter to decision-makers and market makers. It means publishing articles in influential outlets and giving speeches to high-profile audiences.

Today, it’s just as important to appear at the top of the list in key search engine results.  And, to participate where the digital discussions are taking place.

It comes down to being the first name that surfaces when someone wants to know who has the expertise to address a burning issue.

Busting down barriers.

There’s a long list of roadblocks that surface when the topic of thought leadership comes up among executives charged with leading an organization.

Here’s the short version.

Invisible experts. Leaders often lack a basic market presence that keeps them from being recognized among the right decision-makers and influencers in the markets that are essential to realizing their growth goals.

Hidden ideas. Unheard insights. Executives simply can’t find the time to get ideas out of their heads and into the market. They’re already at capacity…running a practice, advocating for a cause, serving clients and members, selling work, or recruiting and developing talent.

Rain delays. Experienced hires…the rainmakers…feel pressure to build their presence fast so they can show immediate value by bringing in new relationships and finding new revenue streams.

Fast-changing market forces. Issues can surface quickly. First-to-market with insightful thinking and novel approaches can capture mindshare and market share…often shaping the discussion and commanding top rates.

Getting from thought to market.

Thought leadership is the crème-de-la-crème of content marketing. It’s strategic to an organization. And, it often represents a significant investment…from the time invested by team members who are charged with creating smart thinking, to the cost of packaging and distributing great content.

From the playbooks of thought leading organizations, many who are on second- or third-generation programs…

Do something now. In this fast-moving knowledge economy, finding the right catalysts – in-house and external – can get your thinking to market faster.

Reputation. Relationships. Revenue. Creating a strategic roadmap tied to specific measures – and then executing with discipline – is a surefire way to show success.

Mine your content. The “one + run” model to producing thoughtware is expensive. It rarely allows you to monetize your thinking.

Protect your IP. Look for language to own. Then, quickly take steps to guard it.

Packaging matters. Breaking through the clutter demands both substance + style. Visual storytelling can breath life into data.

Think snackable. How we consume information has changed radically in just a few short years. Short-form articles + online video need to be in the mix.

Most of all, make sure your experts are visible.

Polished profiles of experts within your organization containing content that’s been mined and aligned are the price of admission in today’s knowledge economy. Make sure you are doing what it takes to be competitive.

When you’re creating your thought leader’s strategy – and then executing the plan – you need access to different talent at different times.  Few organizations have the in-house team that’s needed.  And, since thought leadership marketing is an emerging discipline, finding people with the experience and grasp of the strategic importance can be challenging. And, for most, retainer-based agency relationships are not an option.

There are experienced professionals who have chosen to remain independent.  These are experts who can envision + execute powerful strategies and create truly remarkable content.  Writers. Designers. Illustrators. Researchers. Bloggers. PR pros. Marketing strategists. Presentation coaches. Videographers. Digital media specialists. And more.

With the right strategy, you can pierce through the noise. Ask us about The thought leader’s marketplace.

Quotes by women.
by Pauline Weger

In recognition of  International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month, we’ve pulled together 75 quotes by women…powerful words from great thinkers.

Thank you…to the women who shared their favorite quotes via LinkedIn in the group Connect: Professional Women’s Network, powered by Citi. Many of those quotes are in the list below.  And, thanks to Shirley, Tammy and Shawn for helping to capture and share words by women, past and present!

Quotes provide a glimpse into your soul.

Share your favorites – as well as how you use quotes to spread ideas and inspiration.

~Pauline

 ”Never limit yourself because of others’ limited imagination; never limit others because of your own limited imagination.”
~Mae Jemison, first black woman astronaut, physician

“Nothing is impossible. The word itself says ‘I’m possible’!”
~Audrey Hepburn, actress, humanitarian, winner of an Academy Award, Emmy, Tony and Grammy

“Don’t audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.”
~Regina Brett, journalist, Pulitzer Prize finalist

“To reach something good it is very useful to have gone astray, and thus acquire experience.
~St. Teresa of Avila, Saint, Carmelite nun, author, mystic

“Most of us have trouble juggling. The woman who says she doesn’t is someone whom I admire but have never met.”
~Barbara Walters, broadcast journalist, author

“There are two ways of meeting difficulties: You alter the difficulties or you alter yourself to meet them.”
~Phyllis Bottome, novelist, writer of short stories

“Can anything be sadder than work left unfinished? Yes, work never begun.”
~Christina Rossetti, poet

“Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.”
~Eleanor Roosevelt, former U.S. First Lady, writer, humanitarian

“The real damage is done by those millions who want to ‘survive.’ The honest men who just want to be left in peace. Those who don’t want their little lives disturbed by anything bigger than themselves. Those with no sides and no causes. Those who won’t take measure of their own strength, for fear of antagonizing their own weakness. Those who don’t like to make waves—or enemies. Those for whom freedom, honour, truth, and principles are only literature. Those who live small, mate small, die small. It’s the reductionist approach to life: if you keep it small you’ll keep it under control. If you don’t make any noise, the bogeyman won’t find you. But it’s all an illusion, because they die too, those people who roll up their spirits into tiny little balls so as to be safe. Safe?! From what? Life is always on the edge of death; narrow streets lead to the same place as wide avenues, and a little candle burns itself out just like a flaming torch does. I choose my own way to burn.”
~Sophie Scholl, German student, anti-Nazi protester

“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”
~Mother Teresa, Catholic nun, humanitarian, Nobel Peace Prize recipient

“When you take a flower in your hand and really look at it, it’s your world for the moment.”
~Georgia O’Keeffe, artist

“I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it.”
~Maya Angelou, poet, author

“Do the one thing you think you cannot do. Fail at it. Try again. Do better the second time. The only people who never tumble are those who never mount the high wire. This is your moment. Own it.”
~Oprah Winfrey, talk show host, author, actress

“We are all of us stars and we deserve to twinkle.”
~Marilyn Monroe, actress

“Hard work keeps the wrinkles out of the mind and spirit.”
~Helena Rubenstein, cosmetics industrialist

“To love what you do and feel that it matters – how can anything be more fun?”
~Katherine Graham, publisher

“For most of history, Anonymous was a woman.”
~Virginia Woolf, journalist, author

“Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.”
~Eunice Kennedy Shriver, founder of the Special Olympics

“Diversity is indeed a strength and not a threat”
~HRH Queen Elizabeth ll, head of state of the UK and 15 other commonwealths

“No matter what accomplishments you make, somebody helped you.”
~Althea Gibson, tennis champion, golfer

“Believe. No pessimist ever discovered the secrets of the stars, or sailed to an uncharted land, or opened a new heaven to the human spirit.”
~Helen Keller

“It is never too late to be what you might have been.”
~George Eliot, journalist, author

“Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim.”
~Nora Ephron, director, screenwriter

“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.”
~Mae West, actress

“We are now at a point where we must educate our children in what no one knew yesterday, and prepare our schools for what no one knows yet.”
~Margaret Mead, anthropologist

” I am an ordinary person who has been blessed with extraordinary opportunities and experiences. Today is one of those experiences.”
~Sonia Sotomayor, Supreme Court justice

“Right is right, even if no one else does it.”
~Juliette Gordon Low, founder of the Girl Scouts

“Give a girl the right shoes, and she can conquer the world.”
~Marilyn Monroe, actress

“I had no idea that history was being made. I was just tired of giving up.”
~Rosa Parks, civil rights leader

“If a country doesn’t recognize minority rights and human rights, including women’s rights, you will not have the kind of stability and prosperity that is possible.”
~Hillary Clinton, former U.S. First Lady, diplomat, senator

“A ship in port is safe, but that’s not what ships are built for.”
~Grace Hopper, retired US Navy Rear Admiral, pioneering computer scientist

“There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.”
~Beverly Sills, opera singer

“Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained.”
~Marie Curie, chemist, physicist

“If you think you’re too small to have an impact, try going to bed with a mosquito.”
~Anita Roddick, animal rights activist, entrepreneur

“I am still determined to be cheerful and happy, in whatever situation I may be; for I have also learned from experience that the greater part of our happiness or misery depends upon our dispositions, and not upon our circumstances.”
~Martha Washington, first U.S. First Lady

“I don’t mind if I have to sit on the floor at school. All I want is education. And, I’m afraid of no one.”
~Malala Yousafzai, 
 Pakistani girl shot by the Taliban, youngest Nobel Peace Prize nominee

“One way to open your eyes is to ask yourself, ‘What if I had never seen this before? What if I knew I would never see it again?’”
~Rachel Carson, environmentalist, author

“We learned about honesty and integrity…that truth matters…that you don’t take shortcuts or play by your own set of rules…and success doesn’t count unless you earn it fair and square.”
~Michelle Obama, U.S. First Lady, lawyer

“I know what it takes to be fast and I feel like every year I learn valuable lessons about how to be better the next time.”
~Danica Patrick, race car driver

“You can’t be that kid standing at the top of the waterslide, overthinking it. You have to go down the chute.”
~Tina Fey, comedian, author

“We know from myths and fairy tales that there are many different kinds of powers in this world.  One child is given a light saber, another a wizard’s education. The trick is not to amass all the different kinds of power, but to use well the kind you’ve been granted.”
~Susan Cain, author

“I’ve always dreamed of growing up to be Amy Poehler.”
~Amy Poehler, comedian, actress

“The world knows that when a nation loses control of its finances, it eventually loses control of its destiny.”
~Condoleezza Rice, first female African-American Secretary of State

“When I get logical, and I don’t trust my instincts – that’s when I get in trouble.”
~Angelina Jolie, actress, activist

“I have an almost complete disregard of precedent and a faith in the possibility of something better. It irritates me to be told how things always have been done …. I defy the tyranny of precedent. I cannot afford the luxury of a closed mind. I go for anything new that might improve the past.”
~Clara Barton, founder of the Red Cross

“A girl should be two things: who and what she wants.”
~Coco Chanel, fashion designer

“Many women live like it’s a dress rehearsal. Ladies, the curtain is up and you’re on.”
~Mikki Taylor, journalist

“To the world you may be just one person, but to one person you may be the world.”
~Brandi Snyder, model, photographer

“There is nothing better than a friend, unless it is a friend with chocolate.”
~Linda Grayson, author of children’s books

“Superstition is foolish, childish, primitive and irrational – but how much does it cost you to knock on wood?”
~Judith Viorst, author, journalist

“Lead me not into temptation. I can find the way myself.”
~Jane Seabrook, illustrator, designer

“A daily dose of daydreaming heals the heart, soothes the soul, and strengthens the imagination.”
~Richelle E. Goodrich, novelist

“We hold ourselves back in ways both big and small, by lacking self-confidence, by not raising our hands, and by pulling back when we should be leaning in.”
~Sheryl Sandberg, business executive, author

“…now and then women should do for themselves what men have already done – occasionally what men have not done–thereby establishing themselves as persons, and perhaps encouraging other women toward greater independence of thought and action. Some such consideration was a contributing reason for my wanting to do what I so much wanted to do.”
~Amelia Earhart, pilot, adventurer

“My new motto is: When you’re through changing, you’re through.”
~Martha Stewart, entrepreneur

“Men should think twice before making widowhood women’s only path to power.”
~Gloria Steinem, author, feminist

“When they take surveys of women in business, of the Fortune 500, the successful women, 80% of them, say they were in sports as a young woman.”
~Billie Jean King, tennis champion

“A lot of people are afraid to say what they want. That’s why they don’t get what they want.”
~Madonna, singer

“They say it is better to be poor and happy than rich and miserable, but how about a compromise like moderately rich and just moody?”
~Diana, Princess of Wales

“Elegance is not the prerogative of those who have just escaped from adolescence, but of those who have already taken possession of their future.”
~Coco Chanel, fashion designer

“A woman with a voice is by definition a strong woman. But the search to find that voice can be remarkably difficult. It’s complicated by the fact that in most nations women receive substantially less education than men.”
~Melinda Gates, philanthropist

“Who can measure the advantages that would result if the magnificent abilities of these women could be devoted to the needs of government, society and home, instead of being consumed in the struggle to obtain their birthright of individual freedom? Until this be gained we can never know, we can not even prophesy the capacity and power of women for the uplifting of humanity.”
~Susan B. Anthony, civil rights leader

“Sister is probably the most competitive relationship within the family, but once the sisters are grown, it becomes the strongest relationship.”
~Margaret Mead, anthropologist

“Everything I do is for my people.”
~Sacagawea, explorer

“I was set free because my greatest fear had been realized, and I still had a daughter who I adored, and I had an old typewriter and a big idea. And so rock bottom became a solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.”
~J.K. Rowling, author

“Geeks are people who love something so much that all the details matter.”
~Marissa Mayer, business executive

“I stand for honesty, equality, kindness, compassion, treating people the way you’d want to be treated and helping those in need.  To me, those are traditional values.  That’s what I stand for.  I also believe in dance.”
~Ellen DeGeneres, comedian, talk show host

“The truth is the kindest thing we can give folks in the end.”
~Harriet Beecher Stowe, abolitionist, author

“Maybe we should stop asking how do we get people to pay for music, and start asking how do we let them pay for music?”
~Amanda Palmer, musician, songwriter

“Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are…you aren’t.”
~Margaret Thatcher, former UK prime minister

“The secret of getting ahead is getting started.”
~Sally Berger, documentary filmmaker

“I was elected by the women of Ireland, who instead of rocking the cradle, rocked the system.”
~Mary Robinson, former president of Ireland

“It’s not when you press the shutter, but why you press the shutter.”
~Mary Ellen Mark, photographer

“We never know how high we are 
Till we are called to rise; 
And then, if we are true to plan, 
Our statures touch the skies.”
~Emily Dickinson, poet

Growth Strategies, Winter 2013
The Journal of Accounting Marketing and Sales
Fueling the growth agenda. Tie Thought Leadership Strategy to Reputation, Relationship and Revenue.
Cover story authored by Pauline Weger

How do leaders become visible experts?
by Pauline Weger

For more than 25 years, I’ve been a corporate marketing strategist working with renowned thought leaders and grooming up-and-comers.  Now, as I dial up my profile in the market, my thinking is grounded in my own experience.  And, as a judge of a recent global thought leadership awards program, I’ve seen great strides being made in the discipline.

What’s different in today’s digital world is that leaders can become visible experts quickly.  And, they can reach audiences with more precision.

What’s needed? A strategic approach to zero in on key issues, lift the messages and make deliberate resource and investment decisions.  With the rapid changes in how people are consuming ideas, you need smart content, presented in a way that balances substance with style.

Here are some thought starters for leaders of businesses small and large.

 For entrepreneurs who are leading start-ups…

Build an idea culture right from the outset. Your business is undoubtedly rooted in an innovative approach to a modern day issue. As you surround yourself with great talent to grow your business, imagine the dynamics of bringing them together to collaborate on thought-provoking research. Or, developing a compendium of articles distributed through a purposely-planned strategy, giving your brand and your people a presence in the market. An idea-centered approach to team building will do more to foster your culture and grow your business than hosting an outing on a ropes course (as much fun as that might actually be).

 If you’re growing a small business…

Ignore the hype. Thought leadership is not about trying to game search engines, particularly Google, which is always one step ahead. You’re better served – in the near-term and over the long run – sharpening your focus to address very specific business issues and teasing out ideas. Re-think spending your hard-earned dollars on recurring SEO or link-building services…at least until after your strategy is set and your content is great. Everyone wants “inbound marketing” and “content marketing” to be breakthrough solutions to their lead generation woes. But, you’ll garner a great deal of respect from clients, prospects and influencers when your investments demonstrate your command of the issues…and you present them in a way that’s true to your brand.

 If you’re with a mid-size company that has its sights set on that next level…

Build rock bands, not rock stars. I’ve used this phrase with teams for years because it instantly resonates. Every rock band has a lead singer and a team of talented singers and musicians that come together to create their own distinct style of music. Develop your own band…with talent that digs much deeper into your overarching themes such as M&A, talent management, cloud computing or big data.  It gives you multiple angles into the market…and perhaps a breakthrough perspective when your team is working in harmony.

The digital revolution has cleared the way for your  “indie” bands to be found. Social media provides a powerful way to build a fan base among clients and industry watchers. Brand-building videos allow your leaders to be seen and heard, so they come across as approachable and likeable, which are often factors when clients choose professional advisors.  Live performances, such as in-person keynotes and client meetings, remain a critical way to connect with the “paying public.”

At the end of the day, as is the case with any band, your thought leaders need to be good.  And, they need to be discovered.

 If you’re heading up a practice at a large company…

Align your corporate thought leadership strategy closer to the revenue. The true cost of a thought leadership program is likely hidden in many places across a complicated P&L. When you tally it up, you may end up rethinking how you’ve allocated “the spend” to create more impactful content or make bigger, bolder plays to support high-potential practices.

In fact, leaders and their team members who are charged with finding new clients and spurring topline growth often voice frustration over the lack of support at the front line. These practices can have characteristics of entrepreneurial or small businesses…just operating under the umbrella of a big brand.

A corporate thought leadership program – with high-level themes – builds the brand. But, often the content is too far removed from what’s needed to expand key relationships at strategic client accounts. If you have an evergreen topic (like talent management), one that’s too broad (like cloud computing or big data) or your research that takes too long to get to market, you may miss the opportunity to address specific client business issues that prompt near-term meetings, opportunities and revenue.

To advance your brand-enhancing corporate thought leadership strategy, balance it with a program to groom, incent and support the visible experts who are working alongside clients.

Thought leaders create value for their clients, their businesses and themselves.

Thought leaders are client-centered and market-facing.  And, as you help them dial up their profile in the marketplace, you’ll also find that visible experts will be sought out within your organization. New opportunities for teaming will surface and innovative client solutions will emerge.

Ultimately, your clients will respect you for bringing smart, insightful thinking.  And retain you, assuming you can implement your ideas.

Here’s more thinking about the topic of becoming the visible expert from my recent Washington Post article. 

Catch up on prior blog posts. Visit our latest thinking.

This past week, I had the pleasure of joining marketing leaders from world-class technology companies and professional services firms at the ITSMA Annual Conference in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

[slideshare id=15538896&doc=signaturethinkersthoughtleadershipworkshopdec2012-121207123511-phpapp01]

Visual thinking.

I recently shared my story of year one as an entrepreneur in Upstart Business Journal, produced by the publishers of Washington Business Journal.

Here’s the Seuss-inspired story…told visually. lllustrations by the talented Jess Fisher.

Pauline Weger’s article in national entrepreneur publication
Upstart Business Journal, November 2, 2012
Pauline Weger, ceo of Signature thinkers, shares her Seuss-inspired look at her first year as a new business owner.