Liz Strauss at Successful Blog

Thinking, writing, business ideas … You’re only a stranger once.

November 1, 2007

Seriously: Why NOT to Be a Thought Leader

ME Liz Strauss wrote this at 6:03 am

Before You Begin, Know This

relationships button

Three thoughts collided in my head this morning. The first was the start of my third year on this blog. The second was that the Google algorithm change returned this blog to where it was ranked when I started two years ago. The third thought was a statement by a woman I’ve been friends with for almost a decade. . . . She started blogging about a month ago. This week she said,

I had no idea what you’ve accomplished. You’re considered a thought leader by so many.

I can’t see what she sees. I can’t be where I am and be where she is too. I sit at my keyboard, looking back at all of the words — typed and spoken — between then and now. I think about all of the people I’ve talked to . . . in the comment box, on the telephone, at conferences and meetups, in coffee shops.

I think of their lives, their time, my life, my time, and I realize that content has been important, no question, but it hasn’t been king. Conversation with real people always will be.

Now this morning, I realize . . .

Real conversation uncovering new thoughts isn’t about keywords or searchable content. How could it be? . . . folks can’t search for truly new ideas.

Seems a good reason NOT to be a thought leader . . . new thoughts aren’t searchable.

If search is what you value . . . like I said, it’s about the conversation to me.

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!


Filed under Motivation/Inspiration, Successful Blog |



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39 Comments to “Seriously: Why NOT to Be a Thought Leader”

  1. November 1st, 2007 at 6:20 am
    Cam Beck said

    Happy bloggiversary, Liz! Three Years!

  2. November 1st, 2007 at 6:37 am
    ME Strauss said

    Thanks, Cam!
    It’s only two. I’m just starting year 3. But the well wishes are wonderful. YEA!!

  3. November 1st, 2007 at 6:53 am
    Adrian said

    I wonder how my blog will be like after 2 years of blogging. Anyway, happy “bloggiversary”:)

  4. November 1st, 2007 at 7:28 am
    Karin H. said

    Simple solution? Not a Thought Leader but a…

    Thought Provoker - now that sounds even nicer ;-)

    Karin H. (Keep It Simple Sweetheart, specially in business)

  5. November 1st, 2007 at 7:30 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Karen,
    he-he-he
    another word might be pain-in-the-. . .

  6. November 1st, 2007 at 7:32 am
    Karin H. said

    OK, have it your way then ;-)

    Karin H.

  7. November 1st, 2007 at 8:31 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hey!
    So fun!

  8. November 1st, 2007 at 9:03 am
    Joanna Young said

    Hi Liz

    Don’t knock being a thought leader. You’re always making me think. Sometimes it’s a photo. Sometimes it’s a post your write. More often than that it’s the way that you respond, shape, encourage, cajole, tease, mould the conversation in the comment box.

    It might not be searchable - but it’s still making a difference (a positive difference) to the way that we think.

    That makes you a thought leader in my book.

    Joanna

  9. November 1st, 2007 at 9:17 am
    Kusani said

    I second Joanna’s words, Liz.

    Also, I agree with Karin. It might be an issue of semantics again! I definitely consider you a Thought Provoker. =)

  10. November 1st, 2007 at 9:22 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hey Joanna!
    It’s about learning from each other. Don’t think for a second that it’s not entirely reciprocal. I get plenty from every conversation.

    YEA!

  11. November 1st, 2007 at 9:27 am
    Alina Popescu said

    Hi Liz! New thoughts are not searchable because they don’t need to. They have their own little strategy to finding their way to people. I did not use a search to get to your blog. However, I got here and ceased to be a stranger :) So who cares if you can’t search them? Most of us find new thoughts or are provoked to think exactly when they most need it.

  12. November 1st, 2007 at 9:33 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Alina!
    What a wonderful image you paint with your words. I see a new thought coming out to find you.

    New thoughts on a mission to find new thinkers. :)

  13. November 1st, 2007 at 9:40 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Kusani!
    I’m a thoughtful sort it seems. :)

    Thank you. :)

  14. November 1st, 2007 at 9:41 am
    Alina Popescu said

    Liz, that sounds like a pretty good slogan:)

  15. November 1st, 2007 at 9:48 am
    ME Strauss said

    #3 Hi Adrian!
    Welcome, sorry you were in moderation. I’ve been on the phone with clients.

    Yeah, two years on a blog seems like twenty in real human life. :)

  16. November 1st, 2007 at 10:40 am
    Mike said

    Hey Liz,

    Real thought leadership isn’t about thinking abstractly on a mountaintop and then issuing pronouncements via public proclamations (or your blog). Thought leadership is about spreading useful ideas via [the dreaded 'm' word], which can only happen in conversation. If one foments enlightening conversations (and you do), then one is a thought leaders (and you are). You can’t escape your destiny so easily - the universe will not be thwarted! ;-)

    Mike

  17. November 1st, 2007 at 10:44 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Mike!
    Ah and so you’ve been conspiring with the universe . . . have you? I should have known. How can I argue with both you and the universe? I’m totally outnumbered and outthought on this one.

    I relent. :)

  18. November 1st, 2007 at 10:54 am
    Mike said

    No relenting required. The universe worked through me to provide an alternate perspective. If it fits for you, great! If not, unthwarting will continue through other completely harmonious channels (or something like that, possibly accompanied by Kitaro music).

  19. November 1st, 2007 at 10:57 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hey there!
    Harmony is good. :)

  20. November 1st, 2007 at 10:59 am
    Mother Earth said

    This morning we started planning a members only meeting for WSWE, annually we do a collage and it’s always a huge surprise to those who are not particularly arty or crafty how accurate and insightful it can be - it’s all driven by an individuals thoughts. One member wants to guide it a bit and foster 2 themes, creating the future your want ( very the “secret-ish” _ and the other is to give gratitude

    2 very powerful things. Both you foster just by being you

    I always feel like it’s a bit like give me more of that

    sortof like going into the cookie jar :)

    My business has been 13 yrs of the intangible, for my clients and for me - it’s pretty cool when I think about it

    Mother Earth aka Karen Hanrahan
    http://www.bestwellnessconsultant.com

  21. November 1st, 2007 at 11:45 am
    Mark Goodyear said

    New thoughts aren’t searchable, but a person or group can become recognized and trusted as producers of new thoughts in a particular area.

    I’m thinking of the Stanford Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders podcast. Or think tanks. Or individual futurists. Or even magazines like Wired.

  22. November 1st, 2007 at 11:47 am
    ME Strauss said

    That’s true, you’re a good example yourself. . . . it seems to be a common trait among the folks who comment on this blog. :)

  23. November 1st, 2007 at 11:56 am
    AgentSully said

    Right on!
    Have your google search visitors gone down or just your ranking? If you’ve lost search visitors, I’m just curious what percentage.

  24. November 1st, 2007 at 11:58 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Sully!
    I’m not showing an appreciable difference. Life is normal under the engine and here where all of us meet. :)

  25. November 1st, 2007 at 12:30 pm
    AgentSully said

    That’s good!

  26. November 1st, 2007 at 5:24 pm
    Sara said

    Liz,

    I think being a thought leader is about teaching people to think for themselves. As Karin H. said: thought provoker. Whenever I comment here or take things back home to write about, I find that it is because your conversation (and I always feel like your posts are conversations) sparks some sort of idea upon which I need to expand.

    Each week I do a recap of posts I found interesting. It’s just a quick summary - usually less than a paragraph. Every time I have tried to add one of your posts to the recap I have ended up scrapping the summary in favor of an entire post discussing yours. I can’t just say, “Liz said this, it’s cool, check it out.” I end up with “Liz said this. and I think this and this. Then she said this and it made me think that …” You get the idea.

    I certainly wouldn’t classify you as some sort of mouthpiece or pundit.

    Sara

  27. November 1st, 2007 at 6:54 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Sara!
    Wow! I had no idea that you found things that I wrote quite so compellingly thought provoking. I’m delighted to be fodder for something that pushes a conversation further along and gives you something to write about. I’m also honored that you think of me so.

    YEA!

  28. November 1st, 2007 at 7:11 pm
    Chris Cree said

    Reading down through the comments I see the same phrase jumped out to others too.

    New thoughts may not be searchable… to others, unless we record them some way. But they are ponderable. (Is that a real word?)

    I’m all about ponderables (I’m pretty sure that’s not a real word.) And I don’t care if they are new thoughts or worthwhile old ones!

    Keep on leading us on to more thinking Liz. You’re masterful at it.

  29. November 1st, 2007 at 8:57 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Chris!
    New thoughts sure are ponderable and the act of pondering them is one of my favorites, right alongside musing with Robert Hruzek. :)

    I don’t know how masterful I am at leading thoughts, but I’m sure good at search for new ones. hmmmmmm

  30. November 1st, 2007 at 9:24 pm
    GP said

    a thoughtful read here methinks… from the head and heart

    gp in montana
    http://etchedbystone.wordpress.com/2007/11/01/the-billeous-blessing/

  31. November 1st, 2007 at 9:52 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi GP,
    Thoughtful indeed. :)

  32. November 1st, 2007 at 11:16 pm
    Jessica Doyle said

    Three’s a Charm Liz!

    Have a great year :)

  33. November 1st, 2007 at 11:22 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Thank you, Jessica!
    How wonderful it is to see you! :)

  34. November 2nd, 2007 at 5:38 am
    Mihaela Lica said

    I bet you don’t give a damn on the google PR. But for the sake of the conversation, it is a surprise for me to see it. Obviously google cannot make a difference between real value and crap. But google is just a machine. At the end of the day, Liz, as you said, only people and conversations matter. And you will always remain an A-list blogger, a true leader, an inspiration and a motivation to keep up going.
    I learn so much from you every day and I admire your strength and honesty. And I will always turn to you as you turn to a true friend, because this is what you are to me.

    Love,

    Mig

  35. November 2nd, 2007 at 6:52 am
    ME Strauss said

    Ah Mig,
    True friend is what you are to anyone who has taken the time to get to know you . . . how could not be, because one who does that can only see your value. You are a priceless one, fighting the good fight. Yes. :)

  36. November 2nd, 2007 at 10:45 pm
    It is about discovering, not being discovered « The Organic Leadership Blog said

    [...] not being discovered Posted November 3, 2007 Liz Stauss recently concluded her blog post about thought leadership with, “If search is what you value . . . like I said, it’s about [...]

  37. November 3rd, 2007 at 8:27 am
    Seriously: Do New Thoughts and New Taglines Find Us? - Liz Strauss at Successful Blog - Thinking, writing, business ideas . . . You’re only a stranger once. said

    [...] It started with a blog post. Somehow in writing it, I had a new thought. [...]

  38. November 9th, 2007 at 9:58 am
    Flimsy Sanity said

    Ideas can’t be searched and they don’t come from conversation. They come from being alone and trying to identify a problem. That is where school fails to teach. They give kids the problem to solve. Found this on Stumble Upon - now THAT is a great idea to solve the problem of too much information and no way to classify it.

  39. November 11th, 2007 at 6:20 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Flimsy Sanity!
    Being alone helps me too, to find the answers I’m searching for. I’m lucky to have learned to that somewhere . . . I don’t know if it was in school. It might have been. :)

    Thank you for reminding me of how special my school experience was and for your kind words about what I wrote here. ;)

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