A framework for idea generation
Think. Write. Lead. - Issue #60. A simple process to come up with new ideas and improve your thought leadership.
Happy New Year! Wishing you the best for 2023. This issue is a repeat of a previous issue, but one that will be good as you prepare to create thought leadership content in the coming year.
How many original ideas can you have in your life? One? Ten? A hundred? As many as you want? In principle, there should not be a limit to your ideas.
The problem comes when you succumb to the pressure of coming up with new ideas on a regular basis.
And when you have a particularly good one that resonates with people, there’s a self-imposed duty of outdoing yourself, forever raising the bar on your own creativity.
For instance, an author writes a bestseller and wins a prize. Naturally, it’s expected that the next book is as good or even better than the previous one. But that’s not always the case. Sequels oftentimes flop.
You may or may not be writing a book, but it’s the same with your writing every day.
As a thought leader you have two options:
Come up with one great idea and repeat it ad nauseam.
Or aim for new big ideas on a regular basis.
The first option is boring. Makes me think of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books — one successful idea recycled a thousand times.
The second option is a bit harder. It feels safer to stay with what you know people like. That’s why even Hollywood bets on remakes of old box office hits. Look at Top Gun.
So what can you do? Glad you asked.
You need a process to:
Come up with ideas
Test your ideas
Execute your ideas
In this issue, I’ll talk about a framework for coming up with new ideas.
To come up with new ideas, you need FAQS. No, not those ones you’re thinking about.
Here, FAQS stands for:
Feed. As in feed your mind. Read broadly and without prejudice. You want to expose your brain to new knowledge.
Associate. Make associations of concepts you find in your reading with problems in your field.
Question. What is a new angle or lesson I can draw from this association?
Simplify. Explain your learnings with as few words as possible, forming your new big idea.
Let me give you an example.
Feed. The other day I was listening to an audiobook about American politics, Why we’re Polarized by Ezra Klein.
Associate. Klein explains that political parties take polarizing views so voters can differentiate between them and not be confused about who to vote for.
Question. How does this relate to Thought Leadership? Thought leaders take a stand on hot issues in their areas of expertise.
Simplify. Thought leaders must be polarizing to gain true followers and build a tribe.
THINK.
What books, articles, or essays are you reading outside your area of expertise?
Are you thinking about new ideas, making associations, and questioning assumptions?
If not, choose a couple of books or a series of articles that sound interesting but that you would not normally read, and give them a try.
WRITE.
Write (simplify) at least one new idea from your readings following the FAQS model.
LEAD.
Writing like a thought leader is not a one-time show.
You must show up again and again. But don’t fall for the trap of easy lazy content that doesn’t challenge anything.
Follow the process above or whatever works for you, to come up with original ideas. Then just trust the process.