228: Expert vs thought leader: what’s the difference? A discussion with Ashley Faus, Atlassian
- S6E228
- 50:19
- August 3rd 2022
We recently covered on the podcast the vexed question: Personal brand versus business brand - which one should we focus on?
In this episode, we tackle an equally common question: What’s the difference between subject matter experts and thought leaders?
To help me dig deeper into this topic, I am joined by Director of Integrated Product Marketing at Atlassian, Ashley Faus.
This is a subject dear to Ashley’s heart, and she has some strong views on it!
Ashley has developed a framework that she calls the Four Pillars of Thought Leadership - you can check it out here.
She unpacks the framework and its four pillars:
- Credibility
- Profile
- Prolific
- Depth of Ideas
Semantics, or not?
While the whole ‘ expert vs thought leader’ debate might sound like semantics, both Ashley and I agree that understanding the key differences between the two really does matter.
Talking points include:
- Old school thought leader vs the ‘new’ thought leader
- How some businesses approach thought leadership (badly) - looking at you SaaS companies!
- Why experts shouldn’t attempt a TED Talk (and why thought leaders shouldn’t be in customer support!)
- What value do you provide to the audience? It matters! Why thought leaders and experts need to keep updating their knowledge.
- The concept of 'Expertville vs Visionary Town'
We also have a sidebar conversation about LinkedIn, and why it's important to be intentional with the content we post on the site, plus we wade into the ‘professional content’ vs 'personal content' debate!
Name-checked in this episode:
- Joanna Penn
- Andrew Davis
- Mark Schaefer
- David Meerman Scott
- Andy Crestodina
It's a fun and energetic discussion, I hope you enjoy it!
CONNECT WITH ASHLEY ON LINKEDIN
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CRANK THE 3RD: Exploring the entrepreneurial + creative side of life post 50
CRANK THE 3RD is a weekly podcast in which we explore the entrepreneurial and creative side of life post 50.
You've survived the first two professional chapters of your lives - 20s to mid-30s (chapter 1) and mid-30s and through your 40s (chapter 2).
Welcome to the 3rd chapter! By this stage of your professional life, you've seen a lot, done most things, made some cash, expanded your horizons and probably are more comfortable in your skin than at any other time.
But it’s not necessarily all sunshine and roses either. At some stage, many of us reach a point where we ask: “Is that all there is?”
While we have oodles of experience under our belts and are a lot more sure of ourselves and confident in our own abilities, we also live in a fast-paced volatile world.
Technology is ever-changing, and the AI wave has only just begun. A sense of uncertainty is never far away. We know that if we stand still, we run the risk of losing relevance.
No matter how savvy, experienced and connected we are, certain challenges remain.
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The goal of CRANK THE 3RD is to inspire energised, forward-thinking 50 and 60-somethings to continue to think expansively and creatively about their current situation, and to ponder, plot and plan the exciting road they have ahead of them.
You’ve put in the hard yards: now it’s time to capitalise!
Let’s dive in!
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