Whether they realize it or not, they are a representative of something to the audience, whether that’s a community or an idea.
Revisiting this post from March 2020: Good communicators are leaders because they know how to give their audiences what they need. To paraphrase the Jack Welch quote, they become leaders because they grow themselves as they work to grow others.
Family squabbles and a TED Talk raised a single question: what is your idea, really? Reframing your content with this question elevates it for your audience.
The success of personal finance gurus, who inject personality and brand into their advice, telegraphs a deep level of knowledge and intuition about how their audience thinks and feels about money. That has big implications for how you deliver your message as a speaker or a thought leader.
"Success is a form of trauma."
My career coach, the woman who worked with me to develop what would eventually become The Content Interpreter, told me this once, and I never forgot it.
While I have not had all the success I'm seeking in my life, here are three lessons I've learned. Each has a strong connection to public speaking and thought leadership.
