Thought Leaders helps clever people be commercially smart!

1. JULY AUGUST 2010 | #tlmag
#tlmag
update from the leadership council
Thought the dark side of expertise page 2
Leaders helps standing out is easy page 3
clever people be where have all the leaders gone? page 3
commercially get real about getting things done page 4
how to profit from your ideas page 5
smart.
going from white belt to black belt as a million dollar expert p6
the negative impact of positive thinking page 7
what’s the story, morning glory? page 8
authenticity that attracts page 9
ask great questions page 9
what is a white paper? page 10
attraction factor page 11
selling thought leadership page 12
who are you talking to? page 12

2. update from the leadership council
Things are progressing nicely on the Global front. Five main things to report:
1. A fabulous mentor 2. Scott Stein and Michael and with the addition of a social 5. Watch out for the Thought That’s it from the leadership
get together at the end. A council for now. Enjoy the new
accreditation program was run in Henderson, along with Matt Leaders Studio signature show
fantastic additional touchpoint for look landscape format. As the
June. Matt Church conducted an Church have secured a publishing
members and mentors and for
awesome week for the mentors, deal with Harper Collins to publish
those new to the Thought
walking through the core Thought the first ever book on Thought
Leaders Community.
Leaders IP and getting very clear Leadership. It’s going awesomely
about how we can help clever well and will be a great addition to
people to be commercially smart. anyone’s library. 4. We are on track to our goal
The next one in is October - if you of 1500 members by Christmas later in this year. Matt will be Thought Leaders Magazine is a
think you have what it takes to be 3. Summits are rocking along 2010. We are halfway there and interviewing great Thought digital publication we took on
a mentor and work with other with your help and the fabulous Leaders in a 20 minute Parkinson board suggestions that this style
nicely with events run in Sydney,
Thought Leaders helping them connections to our mentors let’s Style Format - can’t wait. lends itself to easier screen
Auckland, Brisbane and soon in
develop their great ideas, take a see how we go! viewing.
Melbourne. The format is fabulous,
look at the conversations amazing
thoughtleadersglobalmentor.com
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3. Confused. I love wandering and have the courage to take risks,
the dark side of expertise - take
around fringe festivals and especially when you aren’t sure
exhibitions and talking to people what the outcome will be. Fleming
who don’t inhabit my world. For is a thought leader. Being a
a leap of faith me, all of these things are
massively relevant to my field and I
force myself to never settle on a
thought leader demands you
inspire others with your fire, soul
and sheer originality. Take a leap of
boundary as to what ‘fits’ my faith, shun the middle ground and
Finding and owning expertise can As a result, many have been The middle ground should make us expertise and what doesn’t. go to the other side of the divide.
often turn into a category or genre surprised by the recent release, all nervous. Staying within the No matter if you are a devotee of
exercise and this is a challenge for Dark Hope by the American darling lines means that we can be in I am asked to design workplaces KD Lang or Jeff Buckley’s versions
many thought leaders. What I do, of opera, Renee Fleming. danger of thinking the same way precisely because I am not an or if you’ve never heard the song, it
and what I am really great at, are Encouraged to try a project worlds as everyone else and offering architect or formally trained as a is difficult not to be transported by
uncomfortable bedfellows against apart from the opera stage, similar solutions to our clients. If designer. I approach the work with the application of Fleming’s
the vexing question of how this producer David Kahne has worked we are all reading the same books different eyes, very different expertise to Leonard Cohen’s
differs from other people or with Fleming to produce a CD of and watching the same talks, we questions and fresh assumptions Hallelujah.
businesses. songs by some of rock’s greatest are coming at problems in ways about what is possible and what A revelation indeed.
songwriters. that can limit our thinking. will create the result the client
Once we figure out what our deep I am an organisational ecologist, a wants. How else might you define
expertise is, we often become so The narrow interpretation of field that looks at how the your expertise and apply it in new
wedded to it that it’s difficult to Fleming’s expertise is as an opera planning, management and design ways that re-invent possibilities?
define ourselves in any other way. singer, but the core of it is a voice of organisations impacts individual, Don’t be afraid to think differently
and intellectual sensibility that can team and organisational and take risks everyday to do
Sometimes we need the produce the most astonishing performance. From an academic things that might enrich your
perspective of someone else to see music. Instead of just doing perspective, this is a relatively new expertise in surprising ways. Blur
things in us that we cannot see in “crossover” where performers sing and narrow field. the lines, be intellectually curious
ourselves. This is often the case in popular music in a classically
the world of classical music, and for trained style, on Dark Hope While I need to immerse myself
the high-brow, Juilliard trained Fleming “wanted to bypass the deeply in the research, my Libby Sander is a Thought
artists of the grand art of opera. middle ground and get to the expertise has been enriched by so Leaders Mentor in Brisbane and is
other side of the divide many different things that other an expert on organisational design
completely”. She sings in her academics would probably discard and performance.
speaking voice, two octaves lower as irrelevant. Some of these
than her soprano voice. include riding Olympic level Contact details:
dressage, an Arts degree in
Web www.libbysander.com
Japanese and passions for sword Email libby@libbysander.com
fighting, Buddhism, truck driving Phone 0409 436 650
and philosophy. I get lots of ideas
from magazines like Dazed and
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4. standing out is easy where have all the leaders gone?
As a thought leader, have you ever been fed the line ‘standing out is hard!’? I was recently in a senior-level meeting that Scott Stein is one of the
was looking at forward planning and I was Directors of Thought Leaders
If you have received that sort of commentary, there are two things to consider; Global, on the Leadership
amazed at the lack of thought leadership. Council and a Thought Leaders
1. You have been on the receiving end of someone else’s self-limiting belief Mentor based in Sydney. Scott
Given that the Global Financial Crisis has moved inspires individuals and teams to
2. There is no logic behind the statement on, I was amazed to find many senior people still reconnect with their instinctive
dazed and confused about how to begin leading purpose in life and to unleash
Standing out is easier now than it has ever been. In years gone by standing out took money, in this new, uncertain environment. their full potential.
time, study and effort, unless you were “born into it.’” In our current climate, thought leaders W: www.scottstein.com.au
are standing out from the pack because of the sheer volume in the market. Confused? Let me If you have a group of people that are “stuck” in E: scott@scottstein.com.au
explain a little further… “hold” position, there are three things that you P: 0412 990 919
can do to get their thought leadership firing.
There are a lot more bad movies made these days than good ones– think about it, go to your
local video shop or browse downloadable movies and you will find hundreds if not thousands First, get them to identify what a thought leader would do. Get them to brainstorm what
of movies you can choose from, yet I bet you struggle to come up with 3 or 4 on your shortlist. could be possible and what someone that is on the cutting edge would do in the same
situation. Ask what would Richard Branson do? Get them to identify things that could be
There are sooo many bad songs, and yet just a few good ones – whether it is cruising possible without fear. It can be amazing the ideas that come forward when people operate
Limewire or i-Tunes, or wandering through Sanity or a Virgin megastore, there are many more from this mindset.
unappealing albums than appealing ones.
Second, get them to look at what things are currently occurring that could be done in a more
The law of socio economics is on our side fellow effective way; be it systems, approach or activity. Thought leadership is about new ideas—
thought leaders; wherever there is and about demonstrating the courage to lead changes that others may resist. Today,
Darren Hill is the Northern abundance, it creates a scarcity. I believe our businesses can’t afford to play it too safe—or get stuck in 20 year old traditions that existed
Territory Mentor for Thought standard of idea generation has slipped. I before the internet!
Leaders and an expert on human
think the abundance and ease of production
behaviour and leadership.
of most things has seen quality become a Third, get them to identify a strategy to position themselves and their people as thought
W: www.changeworksweb.com leaders. An incredible thing can happen when people start believing in their capabilities—
secondary criteria. Our embrace of average (or
below average) in pursuit of choice has and start promoting the great ideas of their peers to others. One organisation I recently
E: darren@changeworksweb.com
contributed to a scarcity for thought leaders worked with had a couple staff doing some amazing research papers, the challenge was that
P: +61 8 8945 3199 to leverage. most of their colleagues did not know about it. When we discussed what they found in their
research, everyone was amazed—and this provided them with a tool to promote the thought
Your ideas can stand out! If what is coming out leadership that is being demonstrated to their peers, their industry and most importantly their
of your head is better than Weekend at Bernie’s clients.
IV (god help us if it isn’t!) you will become the new scarcity. The current zeitgeist means you
only have to be better than average to be seen. Thought leadership is more than just ideas, it is about executing them in a compelling way
that enrols others. The next time the voice in your head says, ‘where has our thought
So be brave, unleash the ideas in your head upon the general public…they are probably more leadership gone?’—don’t follow the crowd and play it safe—be the thought leader and make
desperate for it than you might think. Stand out, step up; be a thought leader. something happen!
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5. Ron (Rowdy) McLean is a Thought
get real Leaders Mentor based in Brisbane,
Queensland. He is a member of the
Thought Leaders Global Leadership
Council and is the master at getting
about getting things done things done.
Contact details:
Deadlines are a powerful Thought leaders need to learn the companies. The villain in a movie
Web www.rowdy.com.au
tool. Most people hate power in embracing deadlines, uses them to power the hero or
them because they force drawing a line in the sand around heroine to make their escape. Email rowdy@creatingsynergy.com
us to do stuff, to make the development and application Imagine the mad bomber going
of their ideas. “this bomb is designed to explode, Phone 0414 347 667
commitments, make
“
decisions, take actions
and follow through.
To me these are all the great
Thought leaders need to allows you to make excuses and to get this done’, ‘be aware of this
things about deadlines and the learn the power in weasel out of things. While
sharing them makes you
commitment’, ‘be sure you do
this’.
reason people that get things
embracing deadlines...
”
done and make things happen accountable, responsible and
more likely to get it done. I was talking with my mate Marty
embrace them. Deadlines draw a
Particularly if the person holding Wilson last week, author of the
line in the sand in the future and Journalists use
you accountable to the deadline ‘What I wish I knew’ series, one of
when they are strong and robust deadlines to power their ideas for
scares the socks of you! That’s why his family was just taken to
they push us to get off our magazines and newspapers, oh, whenever” not quite as
editors, publishers and CEO’s are hospital with a fairly serious
backsides and make our ideas and authors use them to power their attractive as “in just 7 minutes this
so influential, they don’t back problem. When I spoke to him,
thoughts a reality. books, marketing people use bomb will explode and I will be
away from holding their he’s exclaimed, ‘Bugger! I have got
them to power their products, safely away while you get blown the deadline for my latest book ,
employees and clients
CEO’s use them to power their to smithereens” is a much better ‘What I wish I knew about
accountable for deadlines.
attention grabber. Deadlines do motherhood due today!’ . Despite
that, they grab our attention and Once we have a deadline to meet, the family crisis, his subconscious
focus our energy. Deadlines work! our brains start to operate at a was still chasing the deadline.
higher speed and on a different
A deadline shared is a project, idea Give it a deadline, your brain just
level because our subconscious
or thought delivered. Keeping
starts to kick our butt, ‘remember can’t resist chasing it.
them to yourself is a cop out - it
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6. how to profit from your ideas
The biggest problem with innovation is not coming up with ideas. action. They let someone do
That's relatively easy because we're all having thoughts, opinions and something with your idea.
ideas about something all of the time.
Ecosystem
The real issue of innovation is turning the ideas we do have into something useful. The key to The third transformation is to create
profiting from your ideas is to translate them into forms so other people can profit from them. When an eco-system. Like a forest, this is a
they profit, you profit. collection of products and services
that all rely on and feed off each
Idea Model other. The Ecosystem concept is
The first way to format your idea is to transform it into a visual model, diagram or representation. crucial because of the product/
The goal here is to make it easier to share with others and for them to think about things differently. service continuum. You can't really
create a product without some level
Product or Service of service and vice versa. The big
The second transformation is to turn your idea model into either a service or a product. This can be reward if you get this right is for
as simple as a paper clip or as complex as a rocket ship. your customers to live your idea.
Traditionally, telling the difference was black and white: products fitted in wheelbarrows, services Example: Apple iPod
didn't. A really potent example of an Ecosystem is the Apple iPod.
Apple designed the product and got a manufacturer to make it. Apple then got the music
Today, it's not so clear where products start and/or services finish. It's more of a continuum or companies to supply the songs and they built the iTunes store as software to buy, play and
greyed zone from product to service. manage them. They also encouraged Gracenotes to maintain a database of songs and album
covers. Then, Apple left room for a whole bunch of manufacturers to produce a whole bunch of
Where a visual model lets someone think about your idea, products and services are designed for accessories from covers to car phone adaptors. Finally, having this collection of products and
services has attracted more people to buy more of Apple's core products: its computers.
This collection of products and services has enabled Apple to grab a large chunk of profit from the
Geoff McDonald is the creator of the sale of digital music.
Bookrapper concept and is a Thought
Leaders Mentor based in Melbourne. Profitable Action
To put the Idea Profit model into action start to think about your ideas and how others engage
Contact Details:
with them.
Web www.ideasarchitect.com.au Do they make people think?
Do they help people act?
Email geoff@ideasarchitect.com.au Or, are they part of the way people live?
Phone 0407 830 902 The more people who live your product the more profitable it'll be for you.
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7. Going from White belt to Black belt Focus - Decision
The focus at white belt level is
as a Million Dollar Expert decision. Decide on one market,
and one message, and
communicate that message to
Part 1 - White Belt to Yellow Belt that market. (See Matt Church’s
White Paper Sell Your Thoughts for
more on this).
Thought Leaders has developed Strategy to yellow belt. And once you get
a great model for strategising The key strategy for building a to yellow belt, you’ll pick a third One decision I invite you to make
and achieving the growth of million dollar practice is to do so modality to get to green belt. is that you are going to be a black
your practice. one step, one belt at a time. The belt. I have a second dan black
this model. And the beauty of it is
Thought Leaders methodology It’s relatively easy to make $10k a
the different modes build on each belt in Aikido, a Japanese martial
You can see the different levels, divides your practice across six month in any of the modalities. art. I clearly remember the day I
other. If you’ve got a book, its
and their associated belts in the modalities: speaker, author, However, to make $60k a month
much easier to get speaking gigs. started Aikido I was told that 1 in
picture. Each additional $10k per trainer, mentor, facilitator and from one modality you have to be 200 people make it to black belt. I
Deliver a great key-note, and
month income into your practice coach. The aim is to work up one at the absolute peak of that field.
people will want to buy your decided that I was the 1. I’ve
gets you another belt (just like belt and one mode at a time. There are hardly any speakers, trained 3 or 4 times a week pretty
training program. Run a kick-arse
progressing through the belts in a authors, trainers etc making $720k
training day, and you’ll be in much without fail in the 10 years
martial art). If you got to white belt as a trainer, a year in just one modality. since that decision. And it was that
demand for your mentoring. And
then you should choose one of the so on. decision that had me get out of
other five - let’s say mentor - to get In the Thought Leader’s bed at 5:30am on cold winter
community there are a growing
My white belt came from my mornings to get to training.
number of black belts (over 50
business coaching practice (while I
now) who have got there using
called it coaching, it was actually Make the decision to be a black
Peter Cook is a Melbourne based
Mentor and an expert in the White mentoring small business owners belt - it will make you a more
“
Belt to Black Belt journey. to grow their businesses). The next effective white belt, and help you
mode I added, which got me to do what it takes to get your next
Contact Details:
Make the yellow belt, was training - belt (and the ones after that).
W: www.petergcook.com
decision to be teaching science based innovation
”
and creativity to corporates.
E: petercook@thoughtleaders.com.au
P: 0407 077 210
a black belt
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8. Helen Macdonald is Australia’s
the negative impact of positive Corporate Optimist and a Thought
Leaders Mentor based in Melbourne.
thinking Contact details:
Web: www.helenmac.com
Last week, yet another of my conditions, is unlikely to inspire singing, all is right in the universe. Email: helen@helenmac.com
clients decided that they the activity levels that we need. Then, something happens and
needed to postpone their suddenly the magic has gone. Phone 0419 930 864
management retreat due to The way many people see the We’re plunged into a darker world
‘budget restraints’. attitude spectrum is: which can lead (in some cases) to
what we think is the opposite –
For many Thought Leaders, the NEGATIVE NEUTRAL POSITIVE ‘hate’. The challenge is that, while
impact of the GFC on our business we’re in that place, we’re never
might be cause for alarm, if we so going to get over the lost love and
choose! The challenge is that “Positive move on. The opposite of love When we’re faced with a negative Ex-Mayor of New York, Rudy
Thinking” is not the solution either. isn’t hate; it’s indifference. Only situation, the first key step for an Giuliani said “Leaders need to be
My biggest concern, in the face of We need a more powerful force to when we get there, will we be free optimal outcome is to take a optimists. Their vision is beyond
numerous worrying issues, is the create optimal performance, for to step into love, again. realistic look at what is really the present.” As Thought Leaders,
epidemic of ‘positive thinking’ that our Thought Leadership. We need happening and what is possible, in optimism can power our ability to
is flooding the planet. Just being the “Power Opposite”. The same applies with terms of options and solutions. deliver on our vision.
positive isn’t going to get us the overcoming negative thinking. If The critical next step is to tackle
“
results we desire. We need to The flaw in this thinking is that the we just decide to be ‘positive’ the selection of alternatives
understand that when we’re “Power Opposite” of negative is about everything, we’re not with optimism.
thinking along the ‘negative –
neutral – positive’ spectrum, we’re
not ‘positive’, it’s something quite
different.
looking for best possible
That means to approach it
We need a more
on the wrong spectrum.
outcomes and we’re unlikely to
take the massive action with, according to the powerful force to
Before we go there, let’s consider Oxford Dictionary, “a
Obviously, negative thinking is another example - Love.
sometimes required to get us out
of the slump. disposition or tendency to look create optimal
”
also a flawed strategy for getting
great results. The downward spiral Do you remember the feelings The “Power Opposite” of negative
on the more favourable side of
events or conditions and to performance...
of energy created by looking for when you first fell in love? is ‘optimistic’. expect the most favourable
the worst possible outcomes all Regardless of how long ago it was, outcome”.
the time is not going to power us wasn’t it magical? When we’re in NEGATIVE REALISTIC OPTIMISTIC
to success. Similarly, remaining love, the world really is wonderful!
neutral in the face of adverse The sun is shining, the birds are
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9. ‘In a very real sense, it will not be
what’s the story, ,morning glory? one man going to the moon, it will
be an entire nation, for all of us
must work to put him there.’
the art and science of story There are a range of techniques that
can be learnt to help craft stories,
Up the road from where I live, there There is now significant scientific researchers say that it is more than but the key to having stories
is a huge bill board with a metre evidence that human beings learn just the written or spoken sentence. connect is in the telling.
high headline that says: ‘It’s all and remember best through story.
As a journalism lecturer, I used to We just have to fall in love with
about the story’. Stories zing across the gap in our Marketing guru, Seth Godin, says:
come across countless students great sentences, observe them in
brain’s synapses like nothing else. ‘People don’t believe what you tell
who were totally confronted by others, play with them, collect
The photo on the billboard is of a And yet the “X factor” that makes them. They rarely believe what you
turning their research, data and them. There is nothing new under
television reporter talking to a stories stick is still elusive. Why do show them. They often believe
interviews into a couple of the sun.
crouched old man in a field. The ad stories strike a chord while soul less what their friends tell them. They
sentences for a story intro. The
is for a major New Zealand TV facts get lost in translation? always believe what they tell
blank page, the white computer Find the rhythm of the sentence,
network and their news service. themselves.’ What leaders do: They
Now it does seem strange that the In a nutshell, the science of story give people stories they can tell screen was haunting. Where do you just like music.
billboard is stating the obvious, but shows that the brain’s neurons are themselves. Stories about the future start? The successful British rock band,
Oasis wrote the song, What’s the
it goes to show how much leverage activated by “incoming coherent and about change.
I would physically make these Story, Morning Glory? It is a line
the advertising industry believes sentences”. But the science, known
student turn all their paperwork from Cockney rhyming slang, where
there is in depicting a TV network as as psycholinguistics, still can’t quite John F Kennedy mastered the
upside down, turn away from the the word ‘story’ is substituted with
“hands on” and authentic about nail how we achieve coherence. It’s science and the art of story.
computer monitor and tell me what Morning Glory, just as London
their content. It’s all about the story. He used conviction and passion,
they thought their story was about. cockneys will talk about going up
juxtaposition and rhythm to craft
Nine times out of ten they would the ‘apple and pears’ for ‘upstairs.’ On
some of the most memorable
vocalise their story intro word for one level the connection is
Andrew Melville is a Thought quotes of our times. He used the
magic rhythm of three (tricolon) to word, summing it up succinctly and meaningless, but it sticks, the
Leaders mentor based in Auckland.
great effect. memorably. rhythm and the play stick in our
He mentors, facilitates and speaks on
minds.
how to articulate your essence with
Stories That Speak. Now some people have a knack that
‘When power leads man toward
they can simply commit great The key is not to ‘overthink’ stories.
arrogance, poetry reminds him of
Contact details: sentences to the page without Great thought leaders think about
his limitations. When power
voicing them. You will know who the point they want to make and
Web www.spoke.co.nz narrows the area of man’s concern,
you are. But for the most part, our then play to weave a story around it,
poetry reminds him of the richness
conscious and unconscious mind is with word pictures and passion,
Email andrew.melville@spoke.co.nz and diversity of existence. When
constantly sifting and ordering statistics and proof.
power corrupts, poetry cleanses.’
And he used juxtaposition to put information coherently, and we
Phone +64 9 846 1260 together one sentence that voice it, we get to the ‘guts of it’ by Wake up and find the morning
galvanised a generation. speaking it. glory!
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10. authenticity that attracts ask great questions
Authenticity that attracts: The value statement of Thought Leaders is ‘helping clever
IP
your
How knowing and owning your Back vidence people be commercially smart.’ Steve Major offers a new
e
with twist to being effective with investigating our markets
IP “mojo” enables you to create
high value products that attract ahead of pitching our ideas.
people to buy.
People only buy solutions to their problems.
Steve Major is a Thought
From a sales point of view, when we talk innovation, we mean products that offer a high value Before we get carried away with a new idea, Leaders Mentor based in
proposition. That is, they are a high end product that very effectively solves a niched problem. thought leaders must go into detail in posing Brisbane. He is an expert in
helping thought leaders make
the critical question: What are the problems
smarter decisions.
The elegance of the Thought Leaders Positioning Matrix, is it helps at both ends of the we are solving? But even before this question
spectrum. It helps you identify your “mojo” in commercial terms and link it to the problem in W: www.decisionhq.com
is framed up, a deep understanding and
the market place for which you have a unique and effective solution. I think this is where a appreciation of the problems of the market is E: steve@decisionhq.com
data-base of case studies where your product/service has been used to solve a problem in the needed. Once the problems are determined, P: +61 7 3298 6583
commercial world adds gravity to your offering. Remember, you will be competing in a market they must be phrased as both great questions
place where a lot of claims are made on untested ideas. and statements.
Asking questions to have people get clear about their problems will help promote the
“
Lis Faenza is a Thought conversation towards our solution.
Leaders Mentor near Canberra.
Lis’ expertise lies in being This makes buying Posing great questions as a speaker, a trainer, or in one on one sessions with clients and and
Commercially Savvy from one-
on-one sales to joint venture really easy, and it then clearly stating the problem will ensure others see you have a deep understanding of
deal making. their needs.
Contact details:
means you are not
”
E: lis@thebucketrevolution.com
a sales person But to succeed as a thought leader, we need to move quickly to explaining the causes of these
problems. A simple rule of thumb is to come up with three specific causes to each problem.
P: 0414 447 275
Now here comes a key twist. Thought leaders can hit an emotional blind spot with their
solutions and get carried away with selling or delivering the total solution themselves. But to
Where we need to stand out as thought leaders is in our willingness to back our IP with be truly effective, there must be an invitation to others to participate in the solution. The
evidence. The Thought Leaders Positioning Matrix then allows you to package your IP to Chinese philosopher, Lao Tzu, said: ‘A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when
deliver high relevance to your target market. his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves.’
This makes buying easy, and it means you are not a sales-person. You become an innovative To be commercially smart, the thought leader must understand our market’s problems, detail
solution provider who attracts the right buyer at the right time in their cycle. It takes the the causes, have a quality solution and invite people to take part.
emphasis off making a sale and puts it back onto the value transaction, making you creatively
wise and commercially savvy.
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11. Shelley Dunstone is a Thought
what is a white paper? Leaders Mentor based in Adelaide. As a
Mentor her focus is on helping thought
leaders to discover their unique wisdom
and to express it in writing.
Contact details:
Web www.shelleydunstone.com
White Papers (sometimes called course, white. A White Paper has a “selling” is not overt. The essence
“Special Reports”) are an white cover. It is an official of a White Paper is the Email shelley@shelleydunstone.com
important tool for thought statement outlining the informational content. It’s not a
leaders. A well-formulated White Government’s policy or position marketing brochure. The material Phone 0417 846 108
Paper raises your profile as an on a particular matter to be in it must be of an educational
information expert. It helps you brought before Parliament. nature.
become known for your
“
unique approach to your
subject.
White Papers educate people what you stand for and how you
can help them.
of Innovation”. I read and re-read
it, reflected and re-edited. As my
The term “White Paper’
originates from Government
about new technologies, With your White Paper, you drive a
finger hovered over the “Send”
button, I felt my heart pounding.
”
documents. Most paper is, of products or services... metaphorical stake into the
ground, declaring your stance on
The next time, it was easier.
your chosen topic. It’s not a Be really clear about the points
A Green Paper (with a green provisional document, so it you want to make in your White
cover) is more provisional in should not be the first thing you Paper, express them succinctly,
A White Paper focuses on publish. Novelist E.M Forster said and back them up with
nature. It is a document prepared
for the purposes of consultation, particular problems faced by the “I don’t know what I think until I substantiating material.
target market and ways to address see what I say”, and I have found
to stimulate debate, or to propose
a strategy without any them. It must provide real value, this to be true. Put your thinking Your White Paper doesn’t have to
and should contain some ideas in writing – by blogging, be white. You can choose any
commitment to a particular course
of action. that the reader can apply without contributing to online discussion colour for the cover, and you can
engaging your services. The best groups, starting an ezine and even put pictures in it. But the
The term “White Paper” now also
applies to business documents of way to market your thought publishing short articles. Put your most important thing is its
leadership services is to ideas out into the world and see valuable information content.
an informational type. White
Papers educate people about new demonstrate the value you can what people think. This can be
provide. This is the way to confronting at first. I spent two
technologies, products or services.
White Papers are used for position yourself in the mind of whole weeks writing the first
the reader, so that they will know edition of my ezine “The Cauldron
promotional purposes, but the
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12. attraction factor
Part I: Causing a MOJO As Thought Leader Mentors and in and compelling for people. It Signs that mojo is missing or
explosion that effortlessly the Thought Leaders training positions you and your products as lacking: sales proposal, physical product or
attracts high value clients to programs, we have some very being attractive to high value 1. You are not attracting an book.
you and your products. effective tools for helping clever clients. abundance of the terrific clients
people be commercially smart. 2. Your work is stressful and Product mojo is an extension of
Have you ever wondered how some I like to think of it as mojo. difficult, not joyful and flowing personal mojo.
people just seem to attract the best Two of these tools include: 3. Inspiration and effective
clients and opportunities just seem I define mojo as self-confidence. It’s implementation are missing Products can be speeches, books,
to fall in their lap? 1. The Unique Intelligence training the super attractive energy that 4. You or your clients are not thrilled training programs and mentoring
- which rapidly allows you to tap comes from being true to yourself, with the outcomes and results programs. They are specifically
Or why sometimes you are hot; and into who you are that makes you while in service of others. It’s a deep that you are getting packaged pieces of your thought
everything you touch turns to gold, unique and valuable to others. knowing and accepting of yourself leadership intellectual property (IP)
while at other times you are not; while recognising and
“
and everything you touch turns to... 2. The Positioning Matrix - used to sharing your value. Start identifying your mojo!
”
well let’s just say... would be good succinctly communicate that
for the compost heap! uniqueness and value; either High mojo people and products
personally or through your attract high value clients like honey Aspects of personal mojo: that provide powerful and
products in ways that are relevant attracts bees. compelling solutions to your target
1. Who you are being: knowing market
Tapping into your mojo creates a who you are in the context of your
Ivan Waters is a Thought Leaders couple of very important things: expertise and how it benefits others Start identifying your mojo!
Mentor based in Melbourne and is an authenticity and uniqueness. and acting consistent with this
expert in helping finding effective and What is it you love to do for others
sustainable ways to easily get results. Authenticity builds trust. People that is of high value? What are you
2. What you say and how you say
intuitively trust people who know it: Communication forms the bridge awesome at? What challenges have
Contact details:
who they are and act true to their you faced in your life that gives you
between your ideas and results
Web: www.loveyourbody.com purpose, skills and values. special skills and insights?
3. Your mojo talismans: The way
Email: ivan@loveyourbody.com Uniqueness sets you apart from you display and leverage yourself
others, which puts you in the and your products that attracts
Phone: 0408 625 907 league where there is no people to you. E.g. online video,
competition. blog, website, product brochure,
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13. selling thought leadership who are you talking to?
When it comes to delivering your thought
The way an organisation sells has a critical impact on the way it is perceived in the Nigel Collin is a Thought
leadership on video, how do you know you Leaders Mentor based in
market, the nature and value of the relationships they build with clients and the
are really connecting with your potential Sydney and is an expert in
organisational culture.
market and clients? helping thought leaders deliver
their ideas and business on
For thought leaders it is important to ensure camera.
that our own sales approach demonstrates Imagine that you’re surfing the web in search of
W: www.nigelcollin.com.au
thought leadership to build a strong someone who can help you in a specific area. You
community and enhance the reputation of do a ‘Google’ search and find lots of businesses. E: nigel@nigelcollin.com.au
our members as they promote their own Most of them have videos on their home page. So
P: +61 2 9888 6200
practice. you watch a few and notice that some of them
really grab your attention and others don’t. Some
Based on over a decade and a half in sales
of them really manage to connect.
across a range of organisations, I propose a
model of sales approaches based on the
In a world where YouTube is the 2nd biggest search engine on the planet and having video
level of conviction and competence of the on your site is an expectation, you need to be able to cut through and really connect.
sales-person. The proposed approach
suggests application of the Thought Leaders So how do you connect when delivering your message on
5-step Sales Model with high degrees of
camera?
conviction and competence.
Here’s a simple device. Present as if you a talking to just one
Jeremy Samuel is a Thought Conviction is related to the level of congruence person, not many. When in front of a camera the trap is
Leaders Mentor based in with the offering. It is an internal attitudinal
Melbourne. He helps people presenting to the masses, to the thousands, maybe millions of
and organisations harness the measure that comes across in the way that you potential viewers.
power of change to accelerate communicate, the space you hold and the level
their success. of neediness. They know that if there is a well But in reality, I’m the one sitting in front of my computer watching.
W: www.dadsflyingsolo.com qualified prospect in front of them, they can It’s just me, and if you present to the masses then you’re not
hold the space and the person will buy when talking to me. Video is extremely personal.
E: jeremy@dadsflyingsolo.com
the time is right. - or not.
P: 0414 532 751 So, select just one person, who is perfect to hear your
message. It could be your favourite client, your spouse, or
another thought leader, and deliver your message to them. It
Competence is related to the degree of mastery of the subject. This is the focus of many technical
sales organisations. will help you deliver a more personal, more targeted message
and help you connect.
Thought leaders are experts in their IP and in deep conviction of the value that their offering. This
approach is referred to as Partnership Selling - one where the relationship is paramount and the
seller becomes a trusted partner for the buyer.
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14. a new way to share, meetings has been used in the
United Nations assembly
There are four principles of
Open Space...
puts responsibility for your own
actions on your own shoulders.
learn & meet discussions and in small regional
communities in the outback. It
works!
1. Whoever comes are the right
people
Bumblebees And Butterflies are
for those people who wish to use
their two feet and 'flit' from
It was Charlie Jones who said way you could really know this 2. Whatever happens is all that meeting to meeting. These people
that the key factors that make a was in the breaks. Those short could have can pollinate and cross-fertilize,
difference between who you are sessions where you duck to
today and who you will be in 5 the ‘loo’, grab a muffin, chat
years time are the books you to some new people briefly
read and the people you meet. and then, almost with regret,
have to break up the chat to go
We reckon he was right, but now,
back into the learning session.
the change can happen quicker,
and the ways you can learn are Well, what if the whole program
more diverse. was as good as the break? What if 3. Whenever it starts is the right lending richness and variety to the
you just had a whole event Of course time discussions.
We have been running meetings
dedicated to the mutual sharing of you have to 4. When it is over, it is over
for thought leaders for almost 10
ideas between some truly great take our word for it the first time. It’s elegant in its simplicity!
years. A Thought Leaders event is And, there are two laws...
thinkers and subject matter After a few minutes though, you
so unique. Not only do we not apologise for
experts? will come to see this as one of the
The Law Of Two Feet implies that the likelihood that you might just
Where else in the world would you most natural and effective ways for
The Summits are built around the if, after being part of a session you think differently when you finish
get to attend a program where the people to get together to share,
phenomenally successful Open are no longer interested in it, you the day - we hope that is exactly
audience is as stimulating as the learn and meet.
Spaces format. This structured have permission to leave. The law what happens. Indeed, that is the
presenters? In the past, the only
approach to unstructured role of thought leadership.
So what do you do? Well, go to the
registration site and invest $990
and get our ‘all you meet’ special
deal. That’s right. You can attend
any of the advertised dates and
sydney brisbane melbourne auckland
locations. You can register by
Thursday 6 May 2010 Wednesday 2 June 2010 Wednesday 30 June 2010 Tuesday 18 May 2010 going to
Thursday 5 August 2010 Wednesday 1 September 2010 Tuesday 24 August 2010 Friday 27 August 2010 www.thoughtleaderssummits.com
Wednesday 20 October 2010 Wednesday 1 December 2010 Wednesday 27 October 2010 Friday 26 November 2010
And, come to the first one as our
VIP Guest!
JULY AUGUST 2010
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15. Navigating your way around the online world
Where Why What to do
• Build a profile
It’s not what you know but also who you know.
• Join the local community group
This is the key place to meet, network and
• Introduce yourself to a local mentor
communicate directly with the whole Thought
• Blog your thoughts
Leaders membership community.
• Be cool—‘serve don’t sell’
• Create an RSS feed to the episode list
You get tonnes of great information on how to • Watch videos, post comments, share the
capture, package and deliver your expertise. content with your friends, clients and
colleagues via facebook, twitter etc
• Set up an RSS feed
Read streamed articles and specific thoughts on
• Post comments
how you go about developing your expertise.
• Share the content
Get short bursts of mentoring.
• Follow
Stay up to date with latest networking and
• Re-tweet the stuff you like
learning opportunities
It’s the one stop portal for all these different
• Link to all in the Thought Leaders world
online places.
They are the live, belly-to-belly, face-to-face
experiences that combine the multiple benefits • Participate
of sharing, learning and meeting.
• Branding
Ability for to you apply to become a Thought
• Licensing
Leaders Accredited Mentor.
• Positioning