Your Unique Genius

The world needs to know what you have learned, what you have experienced, and what the world looks like through your eyes.

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Every commercially smart thought leader’s practice is trying to solve a puzzle with two major pieces: The first is to offer something that is differentiated in the marketplace, you could call this your angle. The second is to make sure that what you offer is meeting needs in the marketplace, this is your commercial value proposition. So, you are at the same time trying to stand out and fit in. Resolving this tension is the focus of this week’s newsletter.

The world needs to know what you have learned, what you have experienced, and what the world looks like through your eyes. These three approaches are the elements of your thought leadership. To make a difference, you need to believe that you matter. That your lived experience matters. And that what you have to share can make a difference to the human condition. Exploring what you know, what you have done, and who you are is how you identify your value.

These elements: your essence (who you are), your expertise (what you know), and your experience (what you have done) combine to create your ‘unique genius’. The intersections between them lead to your commercial opportunities, your saleable knowledge, and valuable contributions. Take some time to think through what your elements might be. Your answers to these placeholders are clearly unique to you, there is no right answer, just yours! As you sharpen your angle over time, you use these elements and the below model as a map of sorts, perhaps a compass giving your practice direction and location. Using these elements, you start to see where you want to take your practice and perhaps more importantly what are you about, right now.

Once you are clear on the three elements, you need to figure out who cares about your unique insights. Who holds the same ideals and values you subscribe to? And you ask yourself a question ‘Can you commit to them?’ Can you make working with them your main thing?

These people become your market; they become your tribe. This is your community of commitment. Serve them for the rest of your life.

Finally, we want you to be rewarded for your contribution. Your insights have value to this community. The most obvious value is monetary; they will pay you for what you know. But there are other currencies as well; they may be grateful, respect you, and collaborate with you to take your ideas further.

These inquiries are the puzzle game of your practice. As you build your practice, you will twist and turn them, over and over, like a Rubik’s Cube. They represent the three puzzles at the heart of your ability to make money as a thought leader.