Gary Vaynerchuk, chief executive officer of VaynerMedia, regularly uses social media to share his ... [+]
Wisdom is the ability to think and act using knowledge, experience, understanding, common sense and insight. But it transforms into something truly powerful when it is shared.
Why? Because all the wisdom in the world is meaningless without application.
Yet many leaders eschew this and choose instead to hoard their insights, fearful of giving them away. They don’t understand a simple truth: sharing your wisdom doesn’t diminish your impact; it amplifies it. And today, the best way to magnify your message is to harness the power and reach of social media.
Perhaps no one exemplifies this more than Gary Vaynerchuk, entrepreneur and CEO of VaynerMedia. Vaynerchuk uses multiple social media channels and formats to allow his loyal following access to his inner thoughts. He frequently opens up on his leadership philosophies, what he believes to be the secrets of his business success and the struggles of entrepreneurship. From his podcasts and live streams to his Instagram stories and LinkedIn posts, Vaynerchuk has mastered the art of sharing his wisdom.
When leaders adopt a similar approach, they provide transparency into what’s going on inside their head, something that employees, customers, investors, partners, and friends will all value. In fact, the lack of transparency is what often sinks unsuccessful entrepreneurs, who end up frustrated with their inability to communicate well.
Better yet, when you freely share your wisdom, you provide value to others. Your observations enrich their lives. You help them think about their situations in an entirely new light and encourage possibilities to emerge.
And when you do this regularly, those most important to you will look to you as an emotionally intelligent guidepost, a trusted thought leader who strives to serve others by communicating the lessons they’ve learned in an engaging and compelling way.
Even if you’re not Gary Vee, you can still share your wisdom and use the power of social media to amplify your impact. Here are a few tips:
Focus on one idea at a time.
When sharing your insights, it can be tempting to include every detail and nuance, but if you drone on, you’ll lose your audience. Instead, let clarity and focus guide you, and keep to one brief, compelling message that’s easily absorbed and retained.
Share more than just the wins.
Nothing is a bigger turnoff than someone who is continuously boasting. People respond to those who are genuine, even if it means admitting when you’ve made a mistake. Being vulnerable and sharing the ups and downs of your business life helps you better connect with others. Your insights show your audience how you’ll avoid repeating the same mistake, what you’ve learned in the process, or simply that you’re an imperfect human, just like them.
Skip the self-promotion.
Despite what you see on much of social media, don’t make the mistake of using your platform for blatant self-promotion. Instead, focus on sharing real-world business experiences and leadership lessons learned. In doing so, you’ll broaden and strengthen your network, without doing any “promotion” whatsoever.
Regularly publish your insights.
Sharing your thoughts is great, but not if you only do it occasionally. For the most significant impact, get into the habit of regularly publishing your wisdom. As your network gets used to seeing your posts, they’ll come to look forward to—and trust—your insights and observations.
Engage with your audience.
There’s a reason they call it “social” media. Merely posting isn’t enough. Remember that in sharing your wisdom, the best possible outcomes are to start conversations and build relationships. Encourage both by engaging with those who choose to like, comment, and share your posts, and you’ll forge better connections.
