Leveraging Thought Leadership

Join host Peter Winick as he dives into a compelling conversation with Kristin Lytle, CEO of The Leader's Edge, an executive coaching firm transforming senior leadership. Kristin's journey to becoming a thought leader is rooted in her own experiences of self-doubt, which ignited her passion for helping others articulate their ideas and reach their full potential. Kristin shares how her firm elevates potential within organizations development programs that unlock leaders' full potential. But Kristin doesn't stop there. She's on a mission to make executive coaching accessible to the entire organization—not just the top tier. By focusing on building a culture of high integrity and crowding out low-integrity leaders, her team ensures that toxic behaviors are as unacceptable as an obvious safety hazard in the workplace. Kristin also discusses the importance of leveraging the insights of her team. Through regular coaches' roundtables, expert input, and staying attuned to client needs, The Leader's Edge is constantly evolving. The goal? To identify universal leadership challenges and create scalable solutions that blend online learning with executive coaching and community support. As Kristin transitions her firm from a practice to a full-fledged business, she's learned that allocating top talent is as crucial as managing finances. But perhaps the most profound insight she shares is the role fear plays in leadership behavior—fear of judgment, fear of looking foolish, and fear of not knowing enough. These fears, she argues, often drive leaders more than they realize. Three Key Takeaways: • Unlocking Potential at All Levels: Kristin Lytle emphasizes the importance of making leadership coaching accessible to the entire organization, not just the top executives. By crowding out low-integrity leaders and fostering a culture of high integrity, organizations can ensure that everyone has the opportunity to reach their full potential. • Scalability Through Universal Solutions: The Leader's Edge focuses on identifying consistent leadership challenges, like influence, that cut across industries and regions. By developing scalable solutions, such as blended learning programs, they make impactful leadership development available to a broader audience. • Fear as a Driving Force in Leadership: One of Kristin's key insights is that fear—whether it's fear of judgment, looking foolish, or not knowing enough—often drives leadership behaviors more than we might realize. Recognizing and addressing these fears is crucial for effective leadership. Kristin's team at The Leader's Edge is working hard to make work a better and more satisfying place to be. But what is the secret to changing a company's culture? Find out in this article by Thought Leadership Leverage COO Bill Sherman.

Join Bill Sherman as he sits down with Dr. Bryan Quoc Le, a dynamic food scientist, industry consultant, and the author of "150 Food Science Questions Answered: Cook Smarter, Cook Better." In this episode, Bryan reveals how a seemingly ordinary graduate school project sparked his journey into thought leadership, leading him to unexpected opportunities and recognition in the food science world. Bryan shares how he transformed a volunteer blogging at "The Institute of Food Technologists" stint into a platform that attracted the attention of Callisto Publishing, culminating in a book deal. Hear how he balanced the intense demands of writing his dissertation and authoring a book simultaneously, with the unwavering support of his wife. He dives into the book's unique format—half dictated by the publisher and half crafted by him—and reflects on how it honed his ability to make complex scientific concepts accessible and engaging to a broader audience. Learn how publishing a book early in his career became a game-changer, establishing his credibility and opening doors to numerous clients. Bryan talks about his unexpected success on platforms like Reddit, where he built a thriving community around food science, generating more leads and projects than he ever anticipated. What's next for Bryan? He's exploring new creative frontiers, including a potential documentary on flavors with an Emmy-winning filmmaker. It's a journey filled with innovation, exploration, and a bit of adventure. Tune in to discover how thought leadership can evolve from unexpected beginnings and lead to extraordinary opportunities. Three Key Takeaways: • Thought Leadership Can Start from Unexpected Places: Dr. Le's journey into thought leadership began with a volunteer blogging opportunity that eventually led to a book deal. This shows that sometimes, the path to establishing yourself as a thought leader can start with a seemingly small or unplanned endeavor. • Publishing a Book Can Be a Powerful Credibility Booster: Dr. Le's experience demonstrates the impact of publishing a book early in his career. It not only validated his expertise but also opened up multiple professional opportunities, establishing him as a trusted voice in the food science community. • Building Communities Can Lead to Unanticipated Opportunities: By actively engaging in platforms like Reddit, Dr. Le built a strong community around his field of expertise. This unexpected platform became a significant source of client leads and collaborations, highlighting the value of community-building in thought leadership. As a food scientist Bryan knows the difference between fine flavor and junk food. When it comes to your business are you using gourmet metrics or just measuring the junk? Find out in this video with Peter Winick.

Today on Leveraging Thought Leadership, host Peter Winick sits down with Andrea Sampson, CEO and Executive Thought Leader Coach at Talk Boutique and creator of the Thought Leaders Academy. Andrea has a rich background with over 25 years in marketing and advertising. She shares how her journey from crafting TEDx talks to building a holistic platform for thought leadership shaped her unique approach to coaching and strategy. Andrea discusses the importance of understanding your core message as a thought leader. It's not just about having a big idea but knowing what you stand for and why. This clarity helps you decide what opportunities to pursue and which ones to decline. For thought leaders, aligning your actions with your core message is essential. Andrea emphasizes that strategy isn't a limitation but a necessary framework that guides creativity, much like a creative brief in advertising. Peter and Andrea also explore the distinct differences between being a great keynote speaker and running a successful thought leadership business. Motivational speakers may inspire, but true thought leaders drive deeper understanding and actionable insights. Andrea highlights the need to simplify complex ideas so that audiences not only grasp them but are compelled to act. The conversation shifts to current trends in thought leadership, particularly the effectiveness of giving away value—knowledge, experience, or content—as a strategy for engagement and growth. Andrea underscores the importance of thinking like a consumer and identifying your target audience's needs. Andrea also challenges the notion that thought leadership is a solo endeavor. Collaboration, not competition, is key. She urges thought leaders to work together, learn from one another, and focus on connection and engagement. It's not the smartest thought leaders who are remembered, but those who can connect with their audience and make an impact. Join Peter Winick and Andrea Sampson as they delve into these powerful insights that can elevate your thought leadership to the next level. Three Key Takeaways: • Align Your Actions with Your Core Message: As a thought leader, it's crucial to define what you stand for and ensure all your decisions and strategies align with that core message. This clarity will help you decide which opportunities to pursue and which to decline, keeping your brand and message consistent and impactful. • Strategy Enhances Creativity, Not Restricts It: Contrary to popular belief, having a well-defined strategy does not limit creativity. Instead, it provides a framework that guides your creative efforts, ensuring your ideas and messages are focused, relevant, and effective in solving your audience's problems. • Collaboration Over Competition: Thought leadership is not a solo endeavor. By collaborating with other thought leaders, you can expand your reach, enhance your message, and engage more deeply with your audience. Working together allows for shared learning and growth, creating a more impactful and memorable presence in the market. If you know your core message, do you have discipline around it? Bill Sherman, COO of Thought Leadership Leverage, discussed the need for Message Discipline and the risks you take by not having it.

Today host Peter Winick welcomes Jason Silver, author of the new book "Your Grass is Greener: Use What You Have. Get What You Want. At Work and In Life." Jason, an engineer turned entrepreneur, shares his journey from tech to business and how a personal tragedy led him to reevaluate his approach to work and life. While building a company in the AI space and pushing himself to the limit, a phone call changed everything—his sister was diagnosed with late-stage cancer and passed away nine months later. This profound loss forced Jason to rethink his priorities and laid the foundation for his book. Jason's mission with Your Grass is Greener is clear: to help high-achievers realize they don't need to sacrifice joy for success and to empower those stuck in unfulfilling jobs to see they have the power to change their circumstances without changing careers. He believes that passion and performance can coexist, creating a positive cycle where enjoyment leads to better performance and vice versa. Although Jason didn't write the book as a business venture, it naturally led to opportunities where he now works with executive teams, leaders, and founders to build high-performing, happy teams. His insights on decision-making—highlighted in two key chapters of his book—have resonated widely, uncovering a common challenge in many organizations: decision paralysis. He's showing leaders how to make faster, more effective decisions by applying practical science, transforming how businesses operate. Writing the book taught Jason more than just communication skills; it taught him the art of engaging storytelling. He learned from his editor, who also worked on Atomic Habits, that effective communication isn't always about brevity but about connecting deeply with your audience. Jason now sees storytelling as a vital tool for leadership and decision-making. Jason's vision for the book is ambitious. He sees Your Grass is Greener as a catalyst for change in the workplace. He believes many are approaching work with a broken mindset, and the solutions we're currently trying aren't solving the deeper issues. Instead of job-hopping or pulling back at work, Jason advocates for a different approach: rethinking how we work to unlock massive improvements in both satisfaction and performance. Three Key Takeaways: • Balance Ambition with Well-being: Jason Silver's book, Your Grass is Greener, highlights the importance of finding a balance between achieving professional success and maintaining personal joy. High-achievers don't need to sacrifice happiness for their goals; it's possible to enjoy the journey and achieve success simultaneously. • Empowerment and Agency in Your Career: Many people feel stuck in unfulfilling jobs, but Jason argues that you have more control than you think. By leveraging your existing skills and shifting your mindset, you can transform your current job experience without changing careers. This approach can lead to greater job satisfaction and improved performance. • Effective Decision-Making through Storytelling: Writing the book taught Jason the power of storytelling in leadership and decision-making. Clear and engaging communication, rather than mere brevity, can drive deeper understanding and better decisions within organizations. This insight has proven essential in helping businesses overcome decision paralysis and improve overall effectiveness. Jason shared the very personal origin story of how his book was born. Are you sharing your thought leadership origin story? Check out this short video by Peter Winick on the power of having an origin story.

In today's episode of Leveraging Thought Leadership, our host Peter Winick is joined by Bill Sherman, co-host and COO of Leveraging Thought Leadership, Dr. AJ Marsden, an organizational psychologist and statistician, Josh Bernoff, author of Build a Better Business Book, Marissa Eigenbrood, President of Smith Publicity, Inc., Alison Schwartz, COO of Gotham Ghostwriters, and Naren Aryal of Amplify Publishing Group. They discuss the findings of their recent research into the Return on Investment of publishing a business book. In today's presentation we will have a first look at the data that was gathered from hundreds of authors about their experiences getting published, the expenses incurred, and the results the book had on their business. These authors were reached through not only the friends and colleagues at Thought Leadership Leverage but those from many supporting sponsors such as Greenleaf Book Group, Marshall Goldsmith 100 Coaches, Page Two Books, and Zilker Media to name a few. Before the research could even begin we had to ask the questions "What is ROI? How can you measure it? How much does an author spend? What is the effect of different publishing models? And what type of returns do authors see? In answering these questions we explore what the data tells us about the three different publishing models (Traditional, Hybrid, and Self Publishing), the role RP and Ghostwriters can play in the success of each. We also investigate the hard and soft costs involved in writing a book and what the returns could look like. While many expect the sales of the book to account for much of their profit, we learn how using the book as a key part of a platform and gateway to other parts of the business is where real impact can be found. More questions will be asked and answered in the white paper that will be released in September as we continue to pour over the data. To get a copy of the paper when it's released e-mail info@authorroi.com

In this episode of Thought Leadership Leverage, host Bill Sherman sits down with Constance Scharff, PhD, a trailblazer in the field of mental health research. Constance is the founder of the Institute for Complementary and Indigenous Mental Health Research and author of an upcoming book on "Everyday Bravery." Everyday bravery isn't about heroic acts like running into burning buildings. Constance redefines it as the courage found in everyday life—like battling addiction, where survival alone is an act of immense bravery. Having been sober for 26 years herself, Constance knows this firsthand. Her research reveals the quiet yet powerful ways people confront challenges and carry themselves with dignity, even in the face of overwhelming odds. Constance aims to make her research accessible to everyone, choosing to write books instead of academic papers. She believes mental health research should be available to the public, especially in the U.S., where affordable care is scarce. By blending memoir with academic research, she offers a personal and relatable perspective on the complex issues she studies. Her journey into the field started 15 years ago at the intersection of addiction and trauma. A tragic loss drove her to explore the courage it takes to keep fighting against addiction. Her research took her across the globe—from New York's Stonewall Inn to the jungles of Ecuador—uncovering stories of resilience and bravery in unexpected places. Constance hopes her work will inspire others to see that recovery and resilience are possible, even against all odds. She challenges the over-pathologization of mental health in Western culture and advocates for a broader, more inclusive approach to mental well-being. Three Key Takeaways: • Redefining Everyday Bravery: Everyday bravery isn't about grand heroic acts but the quiet courage found in overcoming daily challenges, like battling addiction or navigating trauma with dignity. • Making Mental Health Research Accessible: Constance Scharff prioritizes writing books over academic papers to make complex mental health research accessible to the public, especially in a landscape where affordable care is limited. • Global Perspective on Mental Health: Her research highlights the resilience found in diverse cultures worldwide, challenging the Western focus on pharmaceuticals and advocating for a more inclusive approach to mental health treatment. Constance has an impactful blend of research and storytelling that she uses to spread her thought leadership. If you'd like to understand how Academic Research can be used to build your thought leadership platform be sure to watch this short video with Peter Winick.

In this episode of Thought Leadership Leverage, host Bill Sherman sits down with Yosi Amram, a political psychologist, CEO, leadership coach, and the award-winning author of Spiritually Intelligent Leadership: How to Inspire by Being Inspired. Yosi delves into the concept of Spiritually Intelligent Leadership, a fresh take on leadership that integrates spiritual qualities like passionate purpose, compassionate service, trust, gratitude, integrity, and humility into daily life and work. Yosi's journey began in Israel, where he was drafted into the military at 18, despite his pacifist leanings. The rigid military structure fueled his desire to create a leadership model built on humane values that support individual growth. This desire led him to the U.S., where he studied at MIT, launched companies, and ultimately burned out from trying to maintain control and inspire simultaneously. His burnout sparked a deep interest in psychology and leadership, which introduced him to the idea of spiritual intelligence through Dana Zohar's book "SQ: Connecting With Our Spiritual Intelligence" which was about rewiring the corporate brain. Determined to explore this concept, Yosi interviewed 71 spiritual leaders from various traditions to uncover universal themes of spiritual intelligence. He developed the first academically validated measure of spiritual intelligence and discovered that it accounts for 46% of leadership effectiveness. Now, Yosi's mission is to elevate Spiritual Intelligence to the same level of recognition and understanding as Emotional Intelligence. Looking forward, Yosi is exploring the intersection of spirituality and science, faith and reason, and the evolving role of historical religious traditions in our modern world. His quest is personal as much as it is professional, as he navigates his own Jewish heritage and its relevance in contemporary leadership. Three Key Takeaways: • Spiritually Intelligent Leadership: Yosi Amram introduces Spiritually Intelligent Leadership as a new leadership model that integrates spiritual qualities such as purpose, compassion, trust, and integrity into everyday decision-making and leadership practices. • Universal Spiritual Themes: Through extensive research with spiritual leaders across various traditions, Yosi found that spiritual intelligence is a universal concept, with common virtues that transcend individual beliefs and contribute significantly to effective leadership. • Validated Impact: Yosi's studies show that spiritual intelligence accounts for 46% of leadership effectiveness, highlighting its critical role in both leadership success and overall quality of life, much like the established concept of Emotional Intelligence. Yosi has found a section of thought leadership that is both interesting and impactful. Is your thought leadership hitting the same mark? If you are unsure this article by Peter Winick might help answer that question.

In the latest episode of Thought Leadership Leverage, Peter Winick chats with Julie Williamson, CEO of The Karrikins Group. Julie is a trailblazer in connecting communication, design, strategy, sales, marketing, and service to drive sustainable growth. Julie shares her unconventional journey into thought leadership. Despite her passion for writing and English, she opted for a degree in Information Systems during the 80s, a time when women in tech were rare. This path gave her a unique vantage point, blending technical, business, and social insights, which she now leverages to help organizations grow and innovate. Julie describes her ideal client as a "frustrated leader." She excels in enhancing team performance, combining business acumen, tech background, and social science to foster organizational communication and cohesion. Her focus is on "Leadership Alignment," ensuring teams outperform individually. Julie's approach involves both publications and hands-on consulting, emphasizing that true transformation requires sustained engagement, not just quick fixes. Her team typically works with clients for 3 to 12 months to catalyze real change. To develop and deploy thought leadership, Julie regularly creates short-form content on platforms like LinkedIn and Forbes Expert Panels. She believes in the discipline of consistent content creation to hone her voice and impact. Addressing the challenges of linking thought leadership to business results, Julie acknowledges the difficulty in measuring the direct impact of her work. Her strategy focuses on continuous contribution to leadership effectiveness, ensuring her insights make a tangible difference. Three Key Takeaways: • Leadership Alignment: Julie Williamson emphasizes the importance of aligning leadership to enhance team performance. By fostering strong organizational communication and cohesion, aligned teams can achieve greater results than individuals working alone. • Sustained Engagement for Transformation: True change within organizations requires sustained effort. Julie's approach involves long-term engagements (3 to 12 months) rather than one-off workshops, ensuring lasting transformation and meaningful impact. • Consistent Content Creation: To develop and deploy effective thought leadership, Julie advocates for regular content creation. She underscores the necessity of disciplined, consistent efforts in writing and sharing insights, which helps in refining one's voice and maximizing impact. Julie understands what it takes to bring teams into alignment for better success. When it comes to Thought Leadership Peter Winick knows how to bring Strategy, Tactics and Goals into alignment. To supercharge your thought leadership check out this video!

In this episode of Thought Leadership Leverage, host Peter Winick chats with Netanel Baruch, Founder and CEO of Queue, an AI-driven platform designed to amplify your online presence by transforming everyday conversations into thought leadership content 60% faster. Imagine having a 10-minute conversation and walking away with ready-to-post content. That's Queue. As a marketer, Netanel saw potential in every client conversation but noticed experts struggled to convert these insights into content due to time constraints and writing skills. Queue's AI, "Jessica," conducts natural, engaging interviews, creating tailored content that mirrors the expert's unique voice. Consultants, regardless of their industry, can consistently generate high-quality content, showcasing their expertise and providing value to their audience. The main challenge? Perfecting the tone of voice to ensure the content feels authentically personal. Netanel emphasizes their ongoing commitment to refining this feature, making sure the content truly represents the expert's unique style. Three Key Takeaways: • Efficient Content Creation: Queue's AI, "Jessica," transforms short conversations into ready-to-post content, saving time and making it easier for experts to maintain a consistent online presence. • Authentic Voice Representation: Queue focuses on creating content that mirrors the expert's unique voice, ensuring the material feels personal and genuine, which is crucial for engaging audiences. • Broad Applicability for Consultants: The platform is versatile and benefits consultants across various industries, helping them regularly produce high-quality content that highlights their expertise and provides value to their audience.

Amy Shoenthal, USA Today bestselling author of "The Setback Cycle: How Defining Moments Can Move Us Forward," joins Bill Sherman on the Thought Leadership Leverage podcast. Amy is a seasoned journalist and marketing executive with 20 years of investigative reporting. Her passion for profiling founders, executives, and leaders who take risks and create something new began at the University of Maryland, where she reported on student entrepreneurs. Amy's book, "The Setback Cycle," explores how setbacks can lead to success. She discovered a pattern: significant achievements often follow major setbacks. In numerous interviews, she noticed that transformative ideas often arose after overcoming significant challenges. She researched extensively, consulting psychologists, neuroscientists, and executive coaches to develop a step-by-step framework for overcoming setbacks. One surprising finding? Many people fail to recognize when they're experiencing a setback, making it harder to recover. Amy's framework helps identify setbacks early and provides tools to rebuild. She emphasizes that acknowledging a setback is the first crucial step towards recovery. Ignoring or denying a setback can make it more difficult to move forward and find new opportunities. Amy was driven to create not just a narrative but a practical guide. She wanted to understand the common threads that enable individuals to rebuild and succeed after setbacks. Her book offers a playbook for anyone facing life's inevitable challenges, providing both inspiration and actionable steps. Her goal? To make the concept of the "Setback Cycle" part of our cultural lexicon. Amy hopes people will see setbacks through the lens of her framework, allowing them to emerge stronger and more resilient. She envisions a world where setbacks are viewed as opportunities for growth and innovation, and where everyone has the tools and resources to navigate adversity. Three Key Takeaways: • Setbacks as Catalysts for Success: Amy Shoenthal's research reveals that significant achievements often follow major setbacks. Her book, "The Setback Cycle," emphasizes how overcoming challenges can lead to transformative ideas and innovations. • Recognizing and Addressing Setbacks: One of the critical insights from Amy's work is the importance of recognizing when you're experiencing a setback. Identifying and acknowledging a setback is the first step in the recovery process, allowing for a proactive approach to rebuilding and finding new opportunities. • Framework for Resilience: Amy has developed a step-by-step framework, backed by extensive research and consultations with psychologists, neuroscientists, and executive coaches. This framework provides practical tools and strategies for individuals to navigate setbacks, emerge stronger, and turn adversity into opportunity. If you feel like your Thought Leadership is having a Setback, make sure to check out Amy's framework for overcoming it as well as this Four Part Framework for Thought Leadership.