Advantages of Being An Outsider | Monique Maley | 383

How do you go from "outsider" to "pro"? Through recognizing your unique perspective - and sharing it, with great thought leadership.

Many thought leaders initially feel like "outsiders" in their industry. They have niche interests, new and potentially counterintuitive perspectives, and they think so far ahead of the game that it might seem outrageous to those more comfortable working "inside the box."

Monique Maley is the Founder and President of Articulate Persuasion, working at the intersection of leadership and language. She is equipped with the belief that engaged, articulate, and persuasive leaders and teams can scale faster, build dynamic cultures, and impact those around them for the better. Monique is also the author of Turbulence, where she shares her insights about the way explosive challenges affect an organization. In it, she provides tools and strategies to overcome turbulence and build stronger organizational cultures.

Monique grew up feeling like an outsider due to her bi-cultural background. Her life changed when she realized that she could be more authentic in work and with conversations, and that her background gave her a unique and insightful perspective. Being an outsider has given her a strong advantage when it comes to consulting and advising, and Monique uses that advantage to help her clients and encourage those with similar situations. She tells us how an "outsider's" perspective allows you to see things more clearly, and be more direct, while overcoming internal politics that might try to hold you back just for being different.

As "outsiders," thought leaders must develop tools that put the spotlight on their perspective and hold the attention of their audience. Monique has a rich background in acting and theatre. She shares methods to help those without such a background become comfortable in the spotlight, and shares the real reasons that you need to be authentic in order to build trust.

Three Key Takeaways:

• Thought leaders should embrace their unique backgrounds and be authentic. Those strengths bring a unique outlook to your content.
• Thought Leadership that comes from outside an organization can provide a different and important point of view to those whose information has been isolated.
• Thought leaders need to be able to present themselves in a manner that keeps an audience engaged. Don't copy someone else's performance; stay true to yourself, or you risk losing the trust of the audience.