The Expert Trap: Why Great Speakers Don't Become Thought Leaders
episode
Speaking Your Brand: Public Speaking Tips and Strategies
11 min
1 speaker
8 chapters
transcribed 1 month ago
Transcript
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Transcript generated automatically by AI and may contain errors.
Why do useful talks often fail to generate new opportunities?
For a long time, I knew how to give a very useful talk. I could organize all the information. I could come up with a framework, a snazzy acronym or an alliteration. I could anticipate questions that the audience may have. I could give them practical steps they could take back to their work right away. And the feedback that I got was always good. Things like, Carol, I learned so much. That was so valuable. I wish we had more time. Now, if you've ever given a talk, you know how good that feels, especially when you're starting out. It tells you I can do this. I know what I'm talking about. And the audience trusts me. But over time, I started to notice something with my own presentations as well as other speakers that I would see.
A talk can be useful but and still not be memorable or bookable. It can be generous and still not lead to the next invitation or the next client. It can prove that you know your material and still leave people unclear about what you stand for or how they can understand themselves better.
What is the Expert Trap and how does it keep speakers from becoming thought leaders?
And frankly, that's a strange place to be because on paper and on the slides, everything looks like it worked. The audience smiled, people took notes, they told you they appreciated it, and then nothing really moved. And I've seen this happen with so many brilliant women. They're prepared, they're thoughtful, they're credible, they're often the smartest person in the room. And they're still not getting booked for their bigger stages, the bigger opportunities, or the rooms where their ideas could travel further. And it's not because they need more expertise. It's because they're caught in what I call the expert trap. That's what we're talking about today. Hi there and welcome to the Speaking Your Brown Podcast.
I'm your host, Carol Cox. This episode has one job to help you recognize whether you're in the expert trap. Not to solve the whole thing today. We have more episodes for that. Just to create that moment where you think, oh, I think I've been doing that. I first started talking about the expert trap back in 2020. I was doing some informal research because I wanted to figure out why some speakers become thought leaders? You saw them take off. They you saw them get more speaking opportunities, get on more podcasts.
How does the VOICE framework help shift from expertise to thought leadership?
They were making the rounds of the internet or the little corner of the internet where they were well known in. So identify different elements that these speakers had that helped to propel them into thought leadership and having a bigger impact. And I called it the voice framework. Of course, I still do like a handy acronym. And voice stands for having a viewpoint that's unique and different, being open and transparent in commun your communication. I is for having an individual story that you universalize. C is for a container for your thought leadership. For many of you, it's a keynote, a signature talk, could also be a book, a podcast, or an initiative. And then E is being emotive and vulnerable in both your content and your delivery.
So as I continue on, kind of keep these elements in mind. Because here's what makes the expert trap hard to notice. The feedback you're getting as a speaker can be positive. People come up to you afterwards or the event organizer says, that was great. I took a lot of notes and that was really valuable. And that's not necessarily bad feedback. I've gotten that many times. But that this was so valuable feedback does not necessarily mean I'll remember your central idea next week, much less next month. I learned so much does not mean I now see myself, my work or this problem differently.
What are the three signs that indicate you’re stuck in the Expert Trap?
You really know your stuff does not necessarily mean I need you on our stage. It may simply mean that you gave the audience good information. But ask yourself this. If someone recommended your talk tomorrow, what would they say about it? Would they say she gave us a lot of great tips or she helped me see something I hadn't been able to see before? That's the difference. Helpful content gets people nodding. Thought leadership gets people recognizing themselves.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
Why do useful talks often fail to generate new opportunities?
0:00–1:13
2
What is the Expert Trap and how does it keep speakers from becoming thought leaders?
1:13–2:33
3
How does the VOICE framework help shift from expertise to thought leadership?
2:33–4:06
4
What are the three signs that indicate you’re stuck in the Expert Trap?
4:06–5:31
5
Why does focusing on transferring expertise rather than perspective limit impact?
5:31–6:49
6
How does a lack of a clear through‑line make a talk forgettable?
6:49–8:32
7
Why is sharing your point of view essential for memorable thought leadership?
8:32–9:49
8
What costs does the Expert Trap impose on movement, referrals, and idea reach?
9:49–11:17
Speakers
1 identifiedMore from Speaking Your Brand: Public Speaking Tips and Strategies
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Expertise Alone Doesn’t Get You Booked as a Speaker - Here's What Does
3 Ways AI Can Hurt Your Public Speaking, and 3 Ways It Can Help
Why Your Audience Loves Your Talk But Doesn't Hire You