Leaders often tell me they’re too busy to communicate, but in the same breath they ask how they can quickly multiply their audience. I often talk about prioritizing, but they’re like, “JUST TELL ME HOW TO DO IT.”
So. Here’s my 10 quick steps. And: Let’s go!
1. Buy the New York Times, The Financial Times, or The Wall Street Journal, and spend 20 minutes reading through it every morning. The website won’t do it, I’m afraid. Because there are too many opportunities to be distracted by other tabs. It’s got to be the paper. And it’s got to be a ritual. You might like to get a bagel or a coffee, too. And don’t tell me you can’t afford it. You can’t afford not to. Live a little. At least try this for a month? I can guarantee the return on your investment will pay for itself. Plus; you’ll get some precious peace. You’re welcome.
2. As you’re reading the paper, reflect. Think about how the news and other stories you’re reading influence the future of the field you’re in. If you work in refugee advocacy, what does it mean that a seven-year-old refugee living in a homeless shelter has turned into a chess champion? What does it mean for your work on taxation policy that people in Europe are spending £5 million to buy “hobby vineyards” across Europe? What does it mean for the future of diversity, equity and inclusion training that the British Navy sent ships to the island of Jersey in a stand-off with French fishermen? What you’re looking for are stories that make you reflect on the future. Through the lens of the story that catches your imagination. And likewise, through the lens of the work you do.
3. There’s no need to write your reflections down, but it might help to have a notebook handy to scribble a couple of notes at the end of your reflective reading, each day. The idea is that you don’t necessarily realize how the work you’re doing is relevant, outside the specifics of your day-to-day. You’re too close to it to understand why it’s so important to a broader audience. And doing this helps you realize that.
4. Once a week, write a 600-word personal essay rounding up your most visionary piece of reflection. Write it through the lens of the news story that prompted you to think about it. Don’t go longer. Do it fast. Speak it into a voice memo, if it’s easier. Let it sit overnight and then edit it the next morning. Ask someone you trust to read it and give you feedback, then make one further round of changes. Then have the confidence to publish. Don’t delay. You’re learning how to put in the right amount of effort. Not to overthink it. We are trying to get you unstuck.
5. Post the essay on your blog. If you don’t have one, then it’s easy to start one. I recommend starting a Medium account, actually, if you don’t want to start your own website with a domain name, and so on. It’s about $5 a month and again, you can afford it. People often tell me they don’t have the confidence to start a blog. But that’s like saying you don’t have the confidence to carry off a fedora. The truth is, you just have to put it on and wear it out of the shop. And trust me, to continue the metaphor into blog land, there are people wearing fedoras who’ve got far fewer interesting things to say than you do.
6. Post the essay as an article on LinkedIn. Then create a post there, based on it, drawing out the most interesting and engaging tension or point in 40 words. Post a link to the blog on Twitter. Add an emoji and a gif sourced from a giphy search. Because people love emojis and gifs. Particularly if you work in a field renowned for being dull.
7. Pay $12 a month to get a Mailchimp account. Ask people if they’d like you to email them once a week with advice in your field. When they consent, add their email addresses to your weekly email list. Post the text of your essay into an email to your list. Do this once a week on a regular basis so people get used to hearing from you. Don’t miss a week. Show people you’re constantly thinking about the future and that you’re reliable. Let them come to depend on you for some nourishing thinking on a weekly basis. I think people describe this as “thought leadership” but I like to think of it as you valuing yourself. And what it is that makes you so interesting.
8. Ask people in your email to introduce you to other people who might have interest in your work. They can sign up to receive more of them by clicking a link you give them. This is all quite easy to figure out using Mailchimp. Don’t worry.
9. Every now and then you can use that regular communication as a place to announce a major report. Or an initiative. Or share a story of a crucial relationship for you. But most of the time? You want to simply tell people what you’re thinking, once a week.
10. Get a calendly account for $10 a month so that people can book a conversation in your calendar at times of your choosing. Some people do an office hour once a week to meet people in this context. Others are available more often. It’s up to you. You can share the link in your email. Before you know it, your calendar will fill up with people interested to talk to you.
You can do it. I hope you don’t delay. But feel free to reach out to me, if you’re struggling. Most people like the idea of doing all this, but then they don’t actually follow through. The question I usually ask them is how badly they want to be successful. Why does it really matter to you? And if the answers are compelling, but they still don’t have time, then I muse into the middle distance about working with an expert.
Good luck! And let me know how it goes.
