Make yourself stand out

Grow your network — and work more efficiently — by sharing your big ideas with the world.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:02):
Good morning, This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast.
Today's tip is about how to become known as an
expert or thought leader and hence make yourself stand out.
You might wonder what becoming known as an expert has
to do with productivity and time management. The answer a lot.

(00:24):
When I first started working as a freelance journalist many
years ago, I spent a ton of time dreaming up
article ideas that I had then pitched to editors. Since
these editors didn't know me from Adam, I wouldn't get
many responses. But after I began writing books about how
people use their time, a miraculous thing happened. Sometimes editors

(00:45):
would reach out to me, Hey, we're doing a story
about you can insert some topic here, morning routines, how
stay at home mom spend their time, reviews of sociology books.
I discovered that it is a lot more efficient to
have clients reaching out to you then you reaching out
to them. The most straightforward way to make that change

(01:07):
in direction happen is to become recognized as an expert
at something. So how do you become a recognized expert?
How do you become the sort of person people seek out.
Some people grow up knowing what specific topics they'll be
passionate about, then they study those exact topics in school.
For many of us, though, it's not that simple. We

(01:31):
have to figure this out to become thought leaders. We
have to figure out some interesting thoughts and then we
have to build a following around those ideas. That's the
leadership part. My favorite book about how to do this
is Dorry Clark's book stand Out. Dory is a thought
leader unbecoming a thought leader. In her book, she writes

(01:53):
that building a strong professional reputation is the best way
to protect and advance your career. When you're recognized by
others as an authority in your field, clients and employers
want to work with you specifically, and if you do
lose your job, you're equipped to bounce back. Becoming an
expert doesn't happen overnight, but there are some things you

(02:16):
can do today or at least in the next few weeks,
to get started on becoming more recognized within your field.
You can spend some time today thinking about a few
questions that Dorry recommends. Asking these questions will help you
figure out the most fruitful topics to generate great ideas about,
For instance, what parts of your field you feel most
passionate about. What topics are you a local expert, in

(02:40):
which Dorry defines as not necessarily the best in the world,
but better or more knowledgeable than those around you. What
aspects of your field do you find yourself drawn to
always reading those articles first, are going to those sessions
at conferences? Then ask yourself what questions in these areas
you'd really like to see answered and stand out. Dorry

(03:02):
explains that one of the best ways to establish yourself
as an expert is to produce some new knowledge that
other people can see and share. Books take a lot
of time to write, but anyone can write something shorter,
such as an article or a white paper. Wikipedia defines
a white paper as an authoritative report or guide that

(03:22):
informs readers concisely about a complex issue. I like that
word concisely. It means short enough to be doable. So
take a few minutes today and think through a question
that you'd really like to see answered. Then think about
how you can do original research on this topic. Dori
suggests a few questions. Who is knowledgeable in your industry

(03:44):
but doesn't often get asked for their insights or opinions.
How can you reach out to them? What on the
ground field research can you conduct in your area of interest.
Who can you visit or interview about their experiences? Is
there a hidden good news story in your field that
most others aren't aware of or talking about. Over the
next few weeks, you can carve out sixty to ninety

(04:07):
minutes twice a week to do your research. Then for
two weeks, maybe carve out thirty minutes a day for writing.
Just a few words at a time will get you there. Ideally,
your manager will be interested in sharing your research through
your organization's channels. That will get your name and your
ideas in front of all sorts of people. If you're

(04:27):
out on your own, you can put your research up
on your own website or other public platforms, and share
news of your discoveries through LinkedIn and other social media channels.
The good news is that when you put things out
into the world, you get feedback. People engage with the ideas,
and then you can refine your ideas and contribute more

(04:48):
to the discussion. Contributing to the discussion is networking, defined
as establishing connections, and it's a lot more satisfying than
handing out business cards at a cocktail party. When people
see you have a great idea, they come to you,
and that takes a lot less time than you going

(05:09):
to them. So what are you going to do today
to build your expertise and let the world know about it.
I'd love to hear your ideas in the meantime. This
is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here's to making the
most of our time. Hey, everybody, I'd love to hear

(05:34):
from you. You can send me your tips, your questions,
or anything else. Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook
and Instagram at Before Breakfast Pod that's b E the
number four then breakfast key o D. You can also
shoot me an email at Before Breakfast podcast at iHeart
media dot com that Before Breakfast is spelled out with

(05:57):
all the letters. Thanks so much, I look forward to
stay hang in touch.