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I post LinkedIn every day, but it wasn’t until this week that I noticed a counterintuitive problem.
Too many people were agreeing with me.
Sure, that may sound good at a surface level. But upon further reflection it revealed a glaring mistake I’ve been making for years –being too agreeable.
Here’s why that’s a problem.
Being overly agreeable on social media makes you blend in, weakens your authority, and prevents you from building a loyal, engaged audience.
For anyone with a personal brand, standing out requires taking bold, authentic stances that showcase your expertise and unique perspective—agreeing with everyone dilutes your voice and undermines your credibility.
In this edition we’ll cover how you can stand out online and build your brand by developing your own spiky point of view.
Today, at a glance.
- Learn why being overly agreeable on social media dilutes your voice and prevents you from building a loyal audience.
- Discover the five key elements that make a spiky point of view engaging, memorable, and impactful for your audience.
- Follow step-by-step instructions to transform your existing content and beliefs into bold, conversation-starting ideas using ChatGPT.
Read time: 5 minutes
The downside of being too agreeable
Being overly agreeable on social media can hinder your ability to stand out because it often results in a lack of clear differentiation and authority.
Here’s why.
Diluted Opinions:
Agreeable content tends to be non-controversial and safe, which makes it blend into the noise of other similar posts.
Lack of Personality:
When you’re overly agreeable, it can come across as inauthentic or generic.
Weaker Connections:
Polarizing opinions (within reason) often attract a more engaged and loyal audience.
Standing out on social media requires balance.
So sure, being approachable and empathetic is valuable, but don’t shy away from sharing bold ideas and unique perspectives that reflect your true voice and expertise.
There’s a good chance you may connect with people you meet online in real life, so make sure they’re seeing the real you.
The Components of a Spiky Point of View
Wes Kao is an entrepreneur, coach, and advisor who works with high-performing leaders in tech and speaks to teams about managing up, thinking rigorously, and building hype for your ideas.
She’s also an amazing content creator thanks to an approach to writing she refers to as a spiky point of view.
In her own words “A spiky point of view is a perspective others can disagree with. It’s a belief you feel strongly about and are willing to advocate for. It’s your thesis about topics in your realm of expertise.”
These spiky points of view stand out because they’re unique by design and cause a pattern-interrupting thought in the mind of the reader.
But, there are a few rules.
A spiky point of view
1. Can be debated.
2. Isn’t controversial for the sake of it.
3. Teaches your audience something relevant they don’t already know.
4. Is rooted in evidence, but it doesn’t have to be a proven fact or universal truth.
5. Requires conviction.
In short, a spiky point of view gets people talking, isn’t just meant to stir the pot, shares something useful and new, is backed by facts or ideas, and shows you really believe in it.
And it may be the answer to the age old question “Why isn’t my content getting more engagement?”
Creating your spiky point of view
So now that you get the gist of it, it’s time to create your own spiky points of view.
We’re going to do this by leveraging your existing content, then get some help from ChatGPT.
First, collect content you’ve already written. You’ll use this as the foundation for your expertise, perspectives and experiences before leveraging ChatGPT.
This can include:
- Social media bio and content
- Blogs or articles you’ve written
- Sales or services page from your website
If you have none of this, don’t worry, I’ll give you a workaround in a moment.
Next, you’re going to enter a few prompts into ChatGPT.
If you have no clue how to use ChatGPT, don’t worry, I made a quick video. Check it out here.
Here’s the first prompt, which includes a link to Wes’s article about developing a spiky point of view.
Read this and summarize what a spiky point of view is. Once you understand what it says, say ok https://www.weskao.com/blog/spiky-point-of-view-lets-get-a-little-controversial
(wait for it to say “ok”)
Then, enter this prompt:
Now I’m going to share information about myself and my beliefs as expressed in various pieces of content. Based on this I want you to create spiky points of view grouped by theme. These views will be expressed on social media, on stages and on podcasts.
(share links to your content and or copy and paste it into ChatGPT)
I’ll share a snippet of the output I got so you can know what to expect.
Those sound spiky, right?
You can see an example of one I used in a LinkedIn post below and read the full post here.
And as you’ll see, people disagreed with me. Success!
The best part? I have 20 other spiky points of view to share, and can easily create more with the same prompt.
Action item:
Create at least one post with your spiky point of view; tag me in it so I can chime in.
Terry’s Recommendation Zone:
When it comes to creating content, I’m more of an “idea man”.
I’m horrible at design, editing, formatting, scheduling, proofreading . . . you get the point.
Fortunately, I stumbled upon Chatterboss years ago at the recommendation of a good friend. Chatterboss pairs you with an executive assistant who’s more than just a task manager. They’re your strategic partner, handling everything from business to personal operations, so you can stay focused on growth and avoid burnout. My assistant has done everything from creating decks for my keynotes to finding after school programs for my kids.
At Chatterboss, their mission is to help high performers live the life of their dreams by creating more white space and focus. And right now, they’re making it easy to get started with an assistant and set yourself up for a more productive 2025. Schedule a strategy session today and use my exclusive link to get $100 off your first month.
Applying these principles to your LinkedIn content can help you stand out, build authority, and create deeper connections with your audience.
You don’t need to be polarizing for the sake of it, but sharing bold, spiky points of view will make your message memorable and engaging.
That’s it for now, but here’s a quick recap:
- Bold, authentic stances build a loyal, engaged audience.
- A spiky point of view is debatable, unique, rooted in evidence, and designed to teach your audience something new.
- To create spiky points of view, review your existing content, use prompts to refine your ideas, and embrace feedback—even when it sparks disagreement.
Chat soon,
Terry
Find me on LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, or book a 1:1 call.
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