‘Take a Stand’: Spin Sucks Founder Gini Dietrich on Thought Leadership with Teeth
Gini Dietrich, Spin Sucks Founder
October 11, 2024
In episode 217 of the “PR 360” podcast, Dietrich shared some blunt advice: “Thought leaders should have thoughts.”
Thought leadership has come into sharp focus across various industries over the past few years, especially in media and communications, where our insights can have a significant impact—both within our fields and with the broader public. Almost every guest on the “PR 360” podcast has been involved in thought leadership on some level, making it fertile ground for insiders to share their thoughts… about thoughts.
Gini Dietrich, creator of the popular “Spin Sucks” blog and CEO of Arment Dietrich, has been a fearless PR thought leader since well before the dawn of the LinkedIn screed. In episode 217 of the “PR 360” podcast, she shared blunt advice that every aspiring thought leader should hear.
“I actually have a friend, Frank Strong, who said this that made me laugh out loud. He was like, ‘If you're going to be a thought leader, you have to have a thought.’ I laughed because executives often say, ‘I want to be a thought leader,’ but they don't want to put in the work to actually do that,” Dietrich shared.
Dietrich has learned the value of taking a stand through her opinionated blog, Spin Sucks, which she started in 2006. “Either you hate us, or you love us. There's no in-between, right? And either you agree with us, or you don't, which is fine,” she told the podcast. “Now, to be a thought leader, you have to take a stand. Most executives today are baby boomers who’ve been told their entire careers, don't talk about your values, don't talk about your ethics, don't talk about what you stand for, because if you do, you're going to alienate half of your customers, right?”
She says this has created a big problem for many executives who are now being asked to take a stand, even though they’ve been avoiding it their entire careers. This often results in so-called thought leaders releasing what Dietrich calls “statementless statements” that do them more harm than good.
“If you're going to be a thought leader, have a thought. If you're going to have a podcast, have an opinion. Have something to say. Have a topic,” Dietrich continues. “If you put out a three-paragraph screed on LinkedIn, may the screed have some juice, some nails, some vinegar, right?”
Dietrich’s words get to the heart of what it means to be an authentic leader. Being a leader means having the courage to stand up for a cause, give a voice to the voiceless, and guide a team toward the future. It involves risk, sacrifice, and a willingness to face uncomfortable situations head-on. Leaders who aspire to enter the thought leadership arena but are hesitant to take a stand should reflect on the brave ways they're already leading their teams. That same courage can guide them as they put their thoughts into words. If you’ve already turned your leadership skills into action, putting them in a blog or on LinkedIn should be far less daunting.
This interview has been edited for time and clarity.
