Every time someone shows up in a small way—honors confidentiality, tells the truth, follows through—they earn a marble.
And when life gets hard, we don’t go to the loudest person in the room shouting, “Trust me!”
We go to the ones who’ve quietly been adding marbles to the jar all along.
That image stuck with me. Because it’s exactly how I've seen thought leadership workfor leaders.
Every time you share something that teaches, affirms, or reframes— Every time you offer real value instead of polished fluff— You’re building your jar.
You’re not just becoming visible. You’re becoming believable. Which is what people are actually looking for when they’re making big decisions.
Should I fund this organization? Should I partner with this leader? Should I trust this person to help me move my mission forward?
Those decisions don’t start with a pitch deck. They start with all the small, consistent ways you’ve shown up before that moment ever comes.
And even if it feels quiet out there (it does sometimes), the data’s clear:
72% of people feel more connected to brands whose leadership is active on social
63% say thought leadership is more trustworthy than traditional marketing
54% of decision-makers say it’s led them to work with someone they hadn’t considered before
A founder told me recently that he kept watching his competitors get invited to speak at major conferences and promote their companies while he heard crickets. Now, he's sought out for keynote speeches because he started building his thought leadership online.
Visibility is a start. Trust is everything.
So if you're posting valuable content, even when no one seems to be liking or commenting, you’re not wasting your time.
You're earning trust. One post, one marble at a time.
Keep showing up!
Brynne
If you have 3 min, watch the clip below. It's worth your time!
​
Sources for Stats: LinkedIn & Edelman2021Thought Leadership Impact Study; Sprout Social: Power of CEO Social Presence 2023.