Thought Leadership and the Art of Simplification
By Rhea Wessel Every expert has a story to tell, but not every expert is a storyteller. My journey from a business journalist to a thought leadership coach and advisor taught me a crucial lesson: The power of storytelling should not be reserved just for those officially in the communications business. Experts who wish to share their knowledge with the world need to know how to find and frame their best ideas into a story […]
Finding the Narrative Arc in Thought-Leadership Writing
By Rhea Wessel As I reflect on the journeys that matter most—in our lives, our work, and our societies—I’m drawn to the essence of storytelling. It’s about more than merely arranging words on a page; writing for story is about capturing what has changed because that’s what defines our existence. My own journey as a writer and thinker has been deeply shaped by trying to understand and convey these arcs, these shifts from one state […]
How Coaching Can Help When Content Fatigue Sets In
By Rhea Wessel Thought leaders are under pressure to continuously produce original, insightful content. For subject matter experts deeply entrenched in their fields, this poses a unique challenge: Experts are experts in a subject matter — and that usually doesn’t include writing and content creation. Content Fatigue: An Invisible Burden When faced with the need to continuously produce fresh ideas, content fatigue can set it. It’s a state where the well of inspiration seems to […]
Your Brain on Headlines
By Rhea Wessel A well-crafted headline is not just an entry point to a story —it’s a strategic tool in capturing and retaining attention. But what makes a headline irresistible, and how does it trigger our curiosity? Let’s dive into the psychology of headlines and their neurological impact. The Magnetic Pull of Curiosity At its core, a headline serves as a cognitive teaser, promising value and insight. Headlines exploit the so-called curiosity gap—what we know […]
Overcoming Unhelpful Beliefs about your Thought-Leadership Writing
By Rhea Wessel In thought leadership, the main currency is ideas. Yet many people with brilliant ideas face a big obstacle when it comes time to get them on paper: They’re fighting a battle against their own unhelpful beliefs about writing. If you’re a subject-matter expert on the path to becoming a thought leader, you’ve likely encountered this struggle. It’s not just about sentence structure or style; it’s the weight of past criticisms, the ghost of a harsh comment that lingers […]