The Thought Leadership Shortcut You’re Probably Not Using
- April 2, 2025
Thought leaders don’t wing it. Here’s how to show up consistently without burning out.
MAKE THE CONNECTION
Let’s face it—no one wants to log into LinkedIn at 7am and wing a post before their first meeting. It wastes energy, creates pressure, and leads to inconsistent content that doesn’t reflect your leadership. Thought leadership isn’t about spontaneity—it’s about strategy.
In this edition, I’m pulling back the curtain on how top executives consistently show up online without losing momentum—or their minds.
What You’ll Learn in This Issue:
- How to shift from reactive to proactive content creation
- My 3 go-to strategies for systematizing thought leadership
- Ways to stay visible while staying focused on your actual job
The Thought Leadership Trap: Daily Posting = Daily Panic
When content becomes another “check-the-box” task, it drains your energy and doesn’t move the needle. The secret? Prepping like a pro.
1
Lock in a Monthly Theme
Choose one big idea that aligns with your goals and audience. Whether it’s leadership lessons, industry shifts, or team culture—this theme becomes the anchor for all content that month. No more guessing what to post or what will be on the blog.
2
Batch Your Content Workflow
Take 45 minutes a week to brainstorm, voice-note, or outline ideas. Use AI or a strategist to turn those thoughts into finished work. Bonus: Create a Voice Library (past emails, Slack messages, meeting notes) so your content always sounds like you.
3
Build a Simple Posting System
You don’t need a content calendar on LinkedIn with 20 layers. Stick to a 3-post rhythm:
- Monday – Insight (leadership, POV, trends)
- Wednesday – Story (personal, behind-the-scenes, lessons learned)
- Friday – Engagement (question, hot take, poll)
Repeat. Refine. Scale.
“Thought leadership isn’t built in the moment—it’s built in the system.”
— Melanie Borden
Ask Yourself This:
How can I shift from creating content last minute to building content like a leader?
If you want to be known for your ideas—don’t let thought leadership be an afterthought. With the right system, you’ll always have something meaningful to say.
With Strategy,
Melanie Borden
P.S. Want a peek at my content batching guide? Reply “CONTENT,” and I’ll send you a free copy.
P.P.S. I have an announcement coming soon about content!