How Do Opinion Writers Win Hearts & Minds?
That’s the challenge that faces New York times opinion writer Thomas L. Friedman each day. Tom is a master at the art of provocative persuasion, and I had the pleasure of meeting him a few years back in Minnesota. He's the author of "Thank You For Being Late", the recipient of 3 Pulitzer Prizes and, most interestingly, the most engaged journalist (in terms or trafic and comments) that the New York Times has ever had. In this episode, I take a quick but compelling look behind the scenes at how he writes, so that we can become better at sharing our own opinions in the workplace.
EPISODE LINKS
- Thank You For Being Late: Tom's fireside chat at Google
- Thank You For Being Late [BOOK]
- Original video of the "Heating & Lighting" Clip
- Tom's column in the NY Times
EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
How Do You Win Hearts & Minds To Your Way Of Thinking?
That’s the challenge that faces New York times opinion writer Thomas L. Friedman.
How Do You Win Hearts & Minds To Your Way Of Thinking?
That’s the challenge that faces New York times opinion writer Thomas L. Friedman.
Tom Friedman is a master at the art of provocative persuasion and I had the pleasure of meeting him a few years back in Minnesota.
If there’s one journalist who has mastered the art of making you think, argue, and—most importantly—act, it’s New York Times opinion writer Thomas Friedman. Love him or loathe him, you can’t ignore him. With a style that’s as sharp as it is relentless, Tom has spent decades shaping the way we understand globalization, the Middle East, and the environment, winning three Pulitzer Prizes along the way. He doesn’t just report on the world—he forces you to wrestle with its contradictions, its complexities, and its consequences.
But Friedman isn’t just a commentator; he’s a case study in what it means to communicate with conviction. His writing isn’t just opinion—it’s an invitation (or sometimes a shove) into a bigger conversation. And it’s that ability to provoke, persuade, and polarize that makes him the most engaged journalist in New York Times history.
I loved his book “Thank You For Being Late” because he explained so articulated why business leaders were feeling so over-whelmed – something I see every day – and he described how it’s because we are living at the intersection of 3 crises and they’re happening all at once.
Moore’s Law, Markets & Mother Nature.
We’re in the middle of a crisis of technology, globalisation and the environment.
But you call it Moore’s Law, Markets & Mother Nature because you’re Tom Friedman and alliteration reads much better in a column!
For business leaders, there’s a lesson here.
In a world drowning in content, the ability to articulate a worldview with clarity, passion, and undeniable impact is more valuable than ever.
So how do you tell stories that don’t just inform but inspire?
How do you challenge people’s thinking without alienating them?
And how do you craft a message that sparks conversations long after the last word is read?
Tom Friedman thinks he has the answers—or at least, even if you don’t believe him, he’ll make you want to find them.
So how does one of the top journalists in the world become so successful?
What’s his philosophy and his process?
Listen to this.
It’s a clip I found from The Chicago Council of Global Affairs when Tom was promoting his brilliant book “Thank You For Being Late” – he’s giving a similar piece of advice that he gave me about how to write an opinion column for the New York Times.
This is superb. Listen carefully.
[TF @ CHICAGO AUDIO CLIP]
Heating & Lighting.
When you meet Tom if you’re lucky enough to get his business card (I wasn’t) you’ll notice something pretty unusual about it. It doesn’t say Tom Friedman, Opinion Writer for the NY Times, 3 Pulitzer prizes – alongside his details.
It just says, Thomas L. Friedman, “Heating & Lighting”.
I love that.
As storytellers in business – or if you’re in the opinion writing business – like a consultant – dare I say “Thought Leader” then that’s exactly what we do.
We create heat and we shed some light.
We simplify complexity.
Einstein once said, “If you can’t explain something simply, then you don’t know if well enough.”
And how do you create some heat? Add enough emotion to you story to provoke a reaction? (Because there’s nothing worse for opinion writers than being relegated to the beige / vanilla area of no-mans land when your ideas aren’t strong enough – or your opinions are concise and compelling enough).
How do you do it?
Tom told me it all comes down to one of two emotions.
Humiliation. And Dignity.
In his world, he’s either speaking out about humiliation (in the way that someone – or something, such as the planet, is being mistreated) or he is celebrating the dignity of the human spirit.
And the way that he does that sparks so much emotion that his words always create heat.
That’s what makes him arguably the best opinion writer the NY Times has ever had.
So the next time you’re trying to think about how to influence or inspire an audience – maybe you’re using the 50-25-25 rule that we talked about in the last episode – then just ask yourself, how can I create some heat and some light for this audience?
How can you surprise them?
Maybe even - how can you tell them a story they think they know – but in a way which they’ve never heard before?
And… how can you give them a view of the world which isn’t impressing your opinion on them – it’s helping them to see their world differently.
And that’s a really important distinction.
Let me say that again...
Despite being a “thought-leader” in business (let’s call it) – audience don’t really care what you think – they care about how you can help them to see the world differently.
That’s the difference between someone who presents – and someone who persuades.
Good advice hey?
Heating & lighting.
Thanks everyone for listening – have a fabulous day and I’ll see you next time.
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The Truth in Ten is a cross between a podcast series and a storytelling masterclass. Each short episode shines a light on a different inspirational leader; someone who shared a short story which changed the world in some way. This is a show for anyone who wants to make a difference by sharing their story.
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