You're a thought leader navigating self-promotion and humility. How do you strike the right balance?

I'd highly recommend you read "F*ck Being Humble" by Stephanie Sword-Williams. She highlights that before thinking of self promotion, we must first figure out what we stand for, what we value and what our dreams are. There are countless tips on how to do it right and what to avoid doing.

Humility should always come first. Good thought leaders know how to listen and are open to multiple points of view. It is unlikely to gain the respect of your audience by self-promotion, but rather by demonstrating deep knowledge, all-round understanding of the topic, and fresh ideas, and above all, by stimulating discussions and provoking others to think.

Rather than solely promoting yourself, concentrate on providing genuine value to your audience. Position yourself as a trusted advisor offering solutions to their problems. Share your expertise through insightful content, practical advice, and actionable recommendations. By demonstrating your ability to deliver value, you naturally establish yourself as a thought leader. Remember, it’s about helping others succeed, not just promoting yourself.

This is a timely topic for me. Today, 8/8 I launched The POSITIVE Approach to Personal Leadership and Conflict Resolution. In my narrative about the course, which I've crafted for two years through pilot programs and other research, I make sure to let people know the value that the course brings. What kind of ROI can they expect for their investment. My LinkedIn family is there to support me. Why? Becuase we have relationships and they know my character. My self promotion is minimal, my character and delivery on promises has helped me surround myself with people who can attest to what I am able to accomplish with audiences and individuals. It is good to confidently self promote your deliverables. People need to know your offering.

The best way to demonstrate humility is to recognize the contributions of the team members that you lead. Recognizing the fact that any project to be successful requires coordination and team work. For example even if you are the one who conceived a new idea that resulted in a patent, list those who contributed to the conduct of the supporting experiments that validated your idea. The same holds true for any problem solving that you suggested. Verbal and written appreciation for team members who implemented your solution demonstrates humility without shouting about your achievments.

Que importante es contar con líderes auténticos e íntegros en nuestra sociedad, lamentablemente, parecen escasear cada vez más. La integridad, honestidad y transparencia de un líder son pilares fundamentales que están por encima de cualquier meta. Al fomentar un liderazgo eficaz y responsable, no solo se cultivará confianza y motivación, sino que también se estarán sentando las bases para impulsar los cambios significativos que se desean construir.

Be authentic in your narrative. Provide the facts that relate to your experience, both good and bad. Weave it together in a manner that shows competence on one hand, but humility and ownership of failures on the other. Ensure that you lay out how your failures early on in fact helped you get to where you are later on in your career.

Compartir alguna historia (ya sea un caso de excito o fracaso), en donde se cuente con naturalidad lo experimentado, ya lo hace un caso de excito. porque para ambos casos tuviste que buscar alternativas de solución, porque te obligo a pensar. si esta rica experiencia se comparte de forma natural de hecho tendrá acogida.

Too often when we think of thought leadership, the temptation is to just talk about path to success. Yet the most impactful thought leaders talk in detail about struggles and how not only overcoming but more importantly experiencing these dark and tough times has made them what they are.

Typically in large organizations there is risk of the narrative being lost in PowerPoint. The availability of real time/accurate data is one challenge and another aspect is how do you as individual able to share this authentic narrative to your stakeholders/colleagues and wider organization. This would need amalgamation of multiple things including Self confidence and ability to narrate both success stories and lessons learnt in a unbiased manner. Organization ethos /culture need to support and encourage authentic narrative sharing with potentially leaders demonstrating these by action. Last but not least individual self ability to introspect and adapt and learn from the success/failures and embrace them fully to be better version of self.

As a thought leader, remember that the real impact you have is in the hearts and minds of your audience. Don't think about framing your expertise as a lecture or one sided chest-beating exercise. Frame it as questions or insights that stop them in their tracks. The kind of question that they take home to their partner or team / wake up in the middle of the night must take action... Wisdom is after all about the pursuit of questions not answers and if you are truly great you will know that. Or will you? lol

There's a fine line between making claims in confidence and being arrogant. And that line goes through how you engage with people who comment on your posts: 1. Acknowledging their contribution, even if it's not substential. 2. Engaging with THEIR content, not just your own. 3. Respecting their opinion, even when it contradicts yours. Do this, and you're more likely to stay humble.

We thrive on positivity and personal enrichment, aiming to bring out the best in everyone we interact with each day. There's a unique joy in brightening someone's day and sharing a smile—it's these moments that truly make for a great day. Each positive interaction not only enriches others but also reinforces our commitment to fostering a supportive and uplifting community.

Thriving in challenging times, for example working in an emergency setting requires more than just talking. Active engagement is essential. By valuing their others input, answering questions, and fostering open dialogue, you create a collaborative environment where knowledge grows and trust deepens. This approach not only strengthens relationships but also solidifies your position as a thought leader.

To me, thought leadership is inherently a community activity. Ideas are abundant; what differentiates brainstorms from actionable insight, and gives the latter value, is adoption & successful execution – which requires a community. Engage in vetting & discussion w/ your personal network & internal team/dept/org to ensure a holistic perspective and to confirm strategic alignment. Continue to actively support & engage For me, self-promotion has always been minimal – just how I’m wired. That said, I’ll continually suggest actions based on experience, observations & reading (I’m a perpetual learner). The value of your thoughts over time will either validate your contributions or not, and if so will intrinsically promote your leadership.

Humility is a key characteristic found in good leaders, it is with small humble attitudes a leader demonstrate humility and attract all team members to work within him or she, shoulder to shoulder on the most challenging times.

Humility is a valuable characteristic, but people buy confidence. Frequently and incorrectly, humility is perceived as a weakness, particularly among those who are arrogant. Critical thinking and the ability to persuade others are important skills that are closely related and dependent on humility. It’s all inter-related.

Emphasizing shared growth and knowledge exchange creates a culture of collaboration essential in high-pressure environments like emergency situations. This approach not only builds trust but also empowers team members to contribute their unique perspectives, fostering innovation and resilience.

Humility is the ultimate demonstration of confidence. Those who are comfortable with what they know and perhaps more importantly what they don't, tend to be the best coaches and leaders. Humble expertise also allows coaches, consultants, and thought leader types to continue on a path of constant learning and discovery, enhancing their value.

I believe in the power of continuous learning. Stagnation begins the moment we stop seeking new knowledge. Just as the best business leaders and athletes have coaches guiding them, I encourage you to find a mentor who can propel your learning journey forward. Every day presents a fresh opportunity to learn, grow, and evolve. Embrace it, and keep striving for excellence in all you do.

This is core of what Marketers call 'RTM' (Real-Time Marketing) and it applies to all of us: Whenever somethnig happens on the news that's relevant to your domain or expertise, grab it ASAP and create content around it. Explain it, discuss the impact on the industry or epople, refute it, valdiate it - there's so many angles you can use to create MEANING and VALUE for other people. This is the best visibility you can create, stratigically.

At Group of Nations, I am proud to have pioneered the very first G7 Global Briefing Report Publication 28 years ago. This initiative set the stage for further groundbreaking endeavors, leading to the launch of the first-ever G20, APEC, and COP publications. These projects were driven by a commitment to provide insightful, comprehensive analyses to a global audience, enhancing understanding of major international summits and their profound impacts.

For health specialists in emergency settings, particularly in immunization, strategic self-promotion is crucial. By actively engaging in platforms like conferences and workshops, they can influence policy and secure essential resources. This approach allows them to balance leadership responsibilities with hands-on work, ultimately driving broader immunization impact. Effective self-promotion not only advances their careers but also amplifies their ability to make a significant difference in emergency health initiatives.

In my humble opinion, the true thought leaders naturally come from a place of humility. They share, because they care about what they learn and are empathetic persons who continually seek out rooms where they are not the thought leaders but the listener and the learner, the explorer. Because of those qualities, humility is a natural attribute.

Striking the right balance between self-promotion and humility involves showcasing your achievements while acknowledging the contributions of your team and mentors. It's about sharing your journey and learnings to inspire others rather than just listing accomplishments. By focusing on value and impact, you can promote yourself authentically and humbly.