What do Enrico Caruso, the famous opera tenor, and Thought Leaders have in common?
A fan of the famous operatic tenor, Enrico Caruso, said that he was so good and powerful that he could “take a menu from an Italian restaurant and sing a description of a rigatoni dish [and] make it sound like a timeless love song. To hear the words and emotions resonate in his unique voice with its rich, golden sound and vibrant texture is captivating beyond words.”
But there is another side of Caruso that many of us may not be aware of. He had stage fright. Before going on stage, he would walk back and forth singing another song:
Move out little me. The big me would like to sing. Let my big me take over.
Interesting trivia, especially if you are an opera and Caruso fan, but his backstage singing also tells us a lot about what it takes to be a thought leader. Thought leaders, whether individuals or organizations, must reach a point where they let their “big me” take over. They come to realize they have something unique to offer to others — products, services, ideas – that are valuable, will help people or industries, even change an industry’s direction.
A “little me” cannot do this. The big me must take over if they want to achieve their goals and be successful as an industry thought leader.
Key points discussed in this article. Thought leaders must:
- Get published.
- Give themselves time.
- Accept ridicule.
- Market themselves
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Being an Effective Thought Leader – ISSA
