SpeakerNet News Teleseminars
Strategies for Becoming a Thought Leader:
Lessons from the Corridors of Power
Guest Expert:
Pete Weissman
(About Pete)
How to order the recording:
Additional resources for this seminar:
- Handout — (PDF)
The Program:
In every field, only a few individuals command the bulk of attention and respect. Their opinions are sought out and often quoted. Whether in politics or corporations, these thought leaders rise to the top.
But what about us entrepreneurial experts? What makes you someone others seek out to hire or quote? Why do clients and the media come to some experts and ignore others? Is it just that one has a good PR plan and the other doesn’t? Or is it that one knows how to position their ideas as those of a thought leader?
If you want to stand out from the crowd (who doesn’t?), then you need to learn how to frame and phrase your ideas to be remarkable, remembered, and repeated. It’s not just a matter of speaking in sound bites — it’s having something memorable to say.
Pete shares what he’s learned working inside both government and corporations, from the White House and U.S. Senate to The Coca Cola Company. He’s seen up close what makes thought leadership happen, behind the scenes as well as what goes public. He’s built thought leadership programs that help executives reach higher levels of visibility, respect, and impact. He takes us inside the minds of thought leaders and reveals how they rise to the top of their fields — and how you can adapt their methods to your own career.
You will learn:
- The key mindsets all thought leaders share
- The 3 pillars of your thought leadership program
- How to make your point of view unique and unforgettable
- Questions to ask to develop your thought leadership positioning
More about our guest expert:
Pete Weissman is an award-winning speechwriter, speaker and communications director with nearly 20 years of experience supporting leaders in the White House, United States Senate and Fortune 100 companies. His Atlanta-based firm, Thought Leader Communications, provides speechwriting and strategic communications services to high-profile companies, foundations, and associations. Pete specializes in helping senior executives become recognized as thought leaders.
Pete spent three years in the West Wing of the White House supporting the Office of the Press Secretary and the Director of the National Economic Council. Pete then served as a Deputy Communications Director and Speechwriter in the United States Senate. In 2007, he joined The Coca-Cola Company, as Director, Leadership Communications, and Senior Executive Speechwriter to the CEO and Chairman. Pete has written for the world’s most influential venues, including the World Economic Forum, the Council on Foreign Relations, and the Clinton Global Initiative. His work has been published in Vital Speeches of the Day, Executive Speeches, Financial Times, The Influential Executive, and two college textbooks: A Pocket Guide to Public Speaking and The Confident Speaker’s Handbook.
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