My clients understand the value of thought leadership. They know visibility builds trust and opens doors. They’d just much rather be doing the work than talking about it.
I relate to this more than I’d like to admit. My consultant mode is like, “Do as I say, not as I do.”
I’ve been learning to play the drums for three and a half years. I take lessons every week, own drum kits in two countries, and spend a ridiculous amount of time mentally unpacking rhythms whenever I hear something interesting.
And yet, I’ve never performed in public.
My instructor thinks this is a problem, but I’ve never seen the issue because I’m learning and having fun. In my mind, that should be enough.
At least, that’s what I’ve always told myself. But lately, I’ve started to wonder whether I use the same logic when it comes to visibility.
As a business owner, I know I should be showing up more consistently on LinkedIn. I also know that every time I sit down to write, I find myself looking for reasons why my point of view doesn’t add value to the feed.
The more I think about it, the more I wonder if the standard itself might be the problem.
Some of the most useful conversations I’ve had this year started with someone saying, “I’m still working through this, but here’s what I’m noticing.” The idea wasn’t polished, and that’s exactly what made the conversation interesting. There was still room for other people to challenge it, add to it, and help shape where it eventually landed.
I wonder what our sector loses when experienced people keep their ideas to themselves until they feel polished enough to be beyond criticism.
Maybe we need more leaders willing to share earlier-stage thinking, because the conversation itself can make the idea stronger.
As for the drumming, maybe one night my favourite song will come on in a dark club at 2 a.m., there will be a drum kit sitting in the corner, and that will be my moment.
Or maybe that’s just another way of waiting for perfect conditions that never actually arrive.
I’m curious: what’s an idea, observation, or question you’ve been sitting on because it doesn’t feel quite finished yet?