Everyone's Talking, But Nobody Is Listening: Here's How To Make Yourself Stand Out As A Thought Leader Amidst the dings, pings, and rings, when it's challenging to catch your breath, it is more demanding to grab a reader's attention.

Everyone's talking, but nobody's listening. However, your job as a thought leader is to make them listen—so, how do you do that?

As a starting point, accept that there are too many voices out there, and the world is getting crazier, noisier, and busier by the second. So, amidst the dings, pings, and rings, when it's challenging to catch your breath, it is more demanding to grab a reader's attention.

And who is this reader? This reader has limited rather than non-existent patience, and they are borderline caught between doom-scrolling and phubbing. The reader scrolls through both mindlessly and mindfully, and they happen to chance upon your LinkedIn post, while waiting for a cup of coffee to brew, a cab to arrive, or a meeting to start.

Unfortunately, most of these readers intend not to read, but to snack on some information, wisdom, suggestions, and humor in their already highly consuming days. Now that they have accidentally found you, you need to instantly convince them to stay with you for a few seconds (minutes, if you are lucky!), and absorb in your nuggets. Shall we give it a try?

Here's a handy list of things to keep in mind the next time you write a post for a social media platform, prepare to deliver a speech, share your thoughts as an entrepreneur for a research paper or a magazine, or talk to your team members, colleagues, and fellow leaders.

1. Go down the rabbit hole It's tempting, convenient, reliable, and costs us nothing. Of course, it's easy to fall into the trap of relying on artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT to pen your thoughts. Who wouldn't want to save time, effort, and money? But let's be clear here—whatever ChatGPT gives you won't be original, and that is not how you want to be perceived. Original is better than copy, correct? Also, machines will never be able to express emotions like we do. A well-written piece needs a good vocabulary, and good grammar can go a long way, so if you need an assistant to do that, you may use AI as a crutch, but it can't teach you how to walk—crawl, maybe.

2. Tell a short story Readers have zero patience for a novel or even a novella, so stick to a short story. Why? Because facts go to our brains, while stories go to our hearts. We all grew up listening to bedtime stories; millennials may have heard it from parents and grandparents, and Generation Alpha may have YouTube or Spotify as sources; the bottom line is that the stories of your university days have better recall value versus the education you got during your master's in business development. Once you tell them a good one, they'll come back for the sequel, and that's when you can tell them a longer story.

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3. Be honest You were told so in value education classes, and you use words like honest, trust, and transparency like confetti when talking to juniors, clients, and more. Therefore, go back to the basics, and practice what you preach. Honest words can bring change (and business), engage minds, initiate conversations, attract good talent, and more. Irrespective of what aspect of your journey you share, do that honestly. Be open about the number of coffee cups you consume, the moments you feel like giving it all up, or the smiles and tears that come with the wins and losses.

4. Don't sugarcoat things Talk about your successes, the little joys of securing a trade license, the reduced office rentals, and more, but most importantly, talk about your failures—the laptop crashes, the loss of a big deal, the oversight of reading the fine print, and more. We all fail, and it is always a good reminder when others share their failure; one feels less lonely and gets a boost to keep going.

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5. Avoid comparisons Never compare your path with that of another, uphill or downhill; each one of us is on a different journey. So, for instance, don't advise a 20-year-old not to be upset if they have been made redundant by saying that they have a lifetime to grow—instead, put yourself in their shoes for a moment, and recall how, at that moment, it can feel like the end of a world. Similarly, don't advise struggling businesses to look for the silver lining—let them know that you understand the challenge; so, do your homework, and offer a plan.

6. It's not reality television The internet loves sob stories—but remember that you are not on a reality show to gain votes, but on a platform to showcase your struggles, skills, turbulences, and triumphs. As such, you should be guided by how close you can bring your audience to your reality, making it easier for them to relate to and trust you. At the same time, know where to draw the line, be real, and don't let the "reel" worthiness guide you.

7. Pat yourself on the back The "I" is essential, but the "We" defines growth. Stay focused on how your team is your strength, but don't undersell what you bring to the table. Speak of what leadership means to you, and how you practice it or don't.

8. Step off the podium End your piece by letting the readers know you're open to feedback, and asking them what more they want to hear. Tell them that their opinion is valuable to you. Interact with them. Even Netflix asks you to rate the show after you're done watching!

9. Don't pity yourself You are not alone in struggling to get your voice noted. There's a reason the dictionary now has a word for the "everybody is listening, but nobody is listening" syndrome— look it up; it is called anecdoche. And that should be your reminder to listen/read attentively when others talk/write. Learn from your counterparts.

10. Start now Write your first post now. Don't pressure yourself to deliver a masterpiece as your debut. There is nothing better than being on the start line.

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