Thought Leadership

---
name: thought-leadership
description: "Writes opinion pieces and thought leadership articles that position the author as an industry authority. Use when you need to publish a strong perspective on an industry topic."
allowed-tools: Read Write Glob
metadata:
  author: matthewhitcham
  version: "1.0"
---

# Thought Leadership

## When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when you need to:
- Write an opinion piece that stakes a clear position on an industry topic
- Create thought leadership content that builds authority and credibility
- Produce a perspective-driven article for a blog, LinkedIn, or industry publication
- Publish a contrarian take or forward-looking prediction with supporting evidence

**DO NOT** use this skill for how-to content, listicles, or neutral informational articles. This is for opinion-driven, authority-building pieces.

---

## Core Principle

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP WITHOUT A CLEAR OPINION IS JUST CONTENT — THE AUTHOR MUST TAKE A POSITION AND DEFEND IT WITH EVIDENCE AND EXPERIENCE.

---

## Phase 1: Brief

### Required Inputs

| Input | What to Ask | Default |
|-------|------------|---------|
| **Topic / position** | "What is your opinion or argument?" | No default — must be provided |
| **Why now** | "Why is this relevant right now?" | Industry trend or recent event |
| **Author's credibility** | "What experience qualifies you to have this opinion?" | No default — must be provided |
| **Target audience** | "Who should read this and be influenced by it?" | Industry peers and potential clients |
| **Publication** | "Where will this be published? Blog, LinkedIn, industry publication?" | Blog |
| **Word count** | "Target length?" | 1,200-1,800 words |

**GATE: Confirm brief before outlining.**

---

## Phase 2: Outline

### Article Architecture

```
**H1:** [Declarative title that states the position]

**Hook** (~150 words) — Story, observation, or bold claim that sets up the argument

**H2: The Current State** (~300 words) — What most people believe or do today

**H2: Why That's Wrong / Incomplete** (~400 words) — The author's contrarian perspective with evidence

**H2: What I've Seen / Done Instead** (~400 words) — Personal experience and results

**H2: What This Means for You** (~300 words) — Practical implications for the reader

**Conclusion** (~150 words) — Restate the position and call to action
```

**GATE: Approve outline before writing.**

---

## Phase 3: Write

### Writing Rules

| Rule | Detail |
|------|--------|
| **State the opinion early** | The reader should know your position within the first 3 paragraphs |
| **First person required** | Thought leadership demands personal voice — "I believe," "In my experience" |
| **Evidence for every claim** | Data, case studies, or personal results back every argument |
| **Acknowledge the other side** | Address counterarguments directly — it strengthens your position |
| **No hedging** | "I think this might possibly be..." kills authority. State opinions confidently. |
| **Concrete examples** | Abstract opinions are forgettable. Specific stories and numbers are memorable. |
| **End with implications** | Tell the reader what to DO with this perspective |

### Opinion Strength Scale

Rate the piece before delivering:
- **Level 1 (Safe):** Agreeable insight most people already hold — limited impact
- **Level 2 (Informed):** A position backed by data that some will disagree with — good
- **Level 3 (Contrarian):** Directly challenges conventional wisdom with strong evidence — best for thought leadership
- **Level 4 (Provocative):** May alienate some readers but creates strong engagement — use with care

Target Level 2-3 for maximum thought leadership impact.

### Structure Template

```
[HOOK: Specific moment, observation, or bold claim]

[THE CONVENTIONAL WISDOM: What most people believe about this topic]

[THE PROBLEM: Why that belief is wrong, incomplete, or outdated]
- [Evidence point 1]
- [Evidence point 2]
- [Personal experience or data]

[THE ALTERNATIVE: What the author does/believes instead]
- [How it works]
- [Results achieved]
- [Why it's better]

[COUNTERARGUMENT: The strongest objection and your response to it]

[IMPLICATIONS: What this means for the reader and what they should do]

[CLOSE: Restate the position in one powerful sentence]
```

---

## Phase 4: Polish

### 1. Thought Leadership Checklist

```
## Quality Checklist

- [ ] Author's position is clear within the first 3 paragraphs
- [ ] At least one contrarian or non-obvious insight
- [ ] Every claim is backed by evidence (data, experience, or case study)
- [ ] Counterarguments are acknowledged and addressed
- [ ] Written in first person with personal voice
- [ ] No hedging language ("might," "could possibly," "it seems")
- [ ] Ends with practical implications for the reader
- [ ] Opinion strength is Level 2 or 3
- [ ] Article would generate discussion if posted on LinkedIn
- [ ] Author's credibility is established early
```

### 2. Distribution Notes

- **LinkedIn:** Share with a personal hook paragraph that teases the contrarian angle
- **Email list:** Send a condensed version with a link to the full piece
- **Social media:** Pull 3-5 standalone quotes for social posts

---

## Example: "Why I Stopped A/B Testing Everything (And Revenue Went Up)"

```
Position: Obsessive A/B testing wastes more money than it saves for small businesses
Credibility: Ran 200+ A/B tests over 3 years at a 7-figure e-commerce company
Evidence: 80% of tests were inconclusive, opportunity cost of test setup exceeded gains

Outline:
Hook: "I spent $40K on A/B testing last year. Net revenue impact: -$12K."
Current state: The industry worships A/B testing as the path to optimization
Why it's wrong: At small traffic levels, most tests never reach significance
What I do instead: Make decisive changes based on qualitative data and customer conversations
Implications: Stop testing everything. Start listening to customers.
```

---

## Anti-Patterns

- **No clear opinion** — "Here are some thoughts on marketing" is a blog post, not thought leadership. Take a position.
- **All opinion, no evidence** — hot takes without data are social media posts, not authoritative articles.
- **Hedging throughout** — "This might not work for everyone, but perhaps..." undermines every argument. Commit to the opinion.
- **Attacking people instead of ideas** — criticize practices and approaches, never individuals or companies by name.
- **No personal experience** — thought leadership without "I tried this and here's what happened" reads as theory, not authority.
- **Burying the opinion** — do not make the reader wait until paragraph 8 to discover your actual position.

---

## Recovery

- **No strong opinion:** Ask "What do you believe about [topic] that most of your peers would disagree with?" If they cannot answer, brainstorm 5 contrarian takes and pick the one they feel strongest about.
- **Opinion is too safe:** Push toward a Level 3 position. Ask "What would a bolder version of this argument look like?"
- **No supporting data:** Substitute with detailed personal experience and specific results. First-person evidence is powerful even without external data.
- **Author is uncomfortable being controversial:** Frame it as "informed disagreement" rather than controversy. Focus on sharing a better approach rather than attacking the current one.
- **Piece reads like a rant:** Add structure — acknowledge counterarguments, provide evidence, and end with constructive implications.