Let’s talk about the power of permission. One of the most limiting frames of reference in running a practice is hidden in the idea of permission.

One of the most interesting things about building a thought leaders practice is that it is full of contradictions. There are natural contradictions in the work and you get better at managing them as your practice grows. The work asks you to sit in the middle…between commerce and contribution…identity and service…creativity and consistency.

Learn more at thoughtleaders.com.au

The cluster strategy is how we, as subject-matter experts, take our ideas to the world. You could think of it as a strategy, but that both overstates/understates it at the same time.

If you would like our curriculum handbook for creating commercially viable clusters, simply email me (matt@thoughtleaders.com.au) a little bit about what you're offering to the world, where you live and what drives your work. Seriously, I will personally read it and reply. Our Business School is a mentoring proposition and requires that we have a sense of each other.

A belief that appears often in our community is this: all the good ideas are already taken. It sounds true, but it is not.

Shifting perspective is more than just a mental process, it’s a foundational leadership move, for those of us in the business of thinking clearly and serving powerfully.

A big part of becoming a commercially successful thought leader is the ability to create new stories. The journey often involves exploring and evolving the stories we tell ourselves about who we are, what we know, and what’s possible.

People are overwhelmed. We're carrying a lot, and when people are overloaded, they reach for shortcuts, quick fixes, and certainty. This is what psychologists call a need for cognitive closure, and it's connected to the global rise of authoritarianism. As documentarian David Marples said, "Tyranny is the deliberate removal of nuance." When our capacity for nuance shrinks, we open the door for more rigid controlling forms of leadership. I share a practice I use called sitting with a circle of thinkers to slow down and invite curiosity instead of rushing to the comfort of a single story.

blog.thoughtleaders.com.au/the-rise-of-authoritarianism

I think now is the time to step up to the work of being a thought leader because AI is taking out so many ways that expertise shows up. Your job is to be more than just ideas or information. Be an inspirer, a light-bringer, a space holder who helps others see light when they feel they're in the dark.