Leaders sometimes say:
“I want to keep a low profile. I don’t want to say too much—competition catches up.”

And you’re right to think this because the threat of competition is real.

But here’s the other side of the story. You’re wondering why your team isn’t selling more. 

The very people who are supposed to create awareness—your marketing team, your sales team, your communications and branding teams—they need you to say something. They can’t tell a story without a story to tell.

Every day, thousands of new products and services are entering the market. Many of them are addressing new, urgent needs. The way people buy has changed—and something you offered 20, 10, even 5 years ago may be struggling to stay relevant.

Yes, competition is a threat.

But there’s a bigger threat: not being visible.

The New Threat: Being Invisible

Search has changed.

We’re now in the age of answer engines.
People are asking ChatGPT, Google AI, Perplexity and other answer engines complex questions with not one but multiple “entities” For eg:

• “What’s an organic fertiliser brand with proven SDG commitment?”
• “Which fintech helps underserved SMEs and publishes impact reports?”
• “What local skincare brand is Halal-certified and women-led?”

The questions are no longer just about features.
They’re about philosophy, purpose, and proof.

So if you’re not showing up with answers—not just about your product, but about how you run your business, your values, your direction—then someone else will. 

And they’ll win trust first. Because they are visible!

This Is Where Leadership Comes In

As a leader—CEO, founder, department head—you hold the insight.
You know where the business is doing well – or not. You know why. That’s the message your team needs to hear. That’s what they can turn into content, campaigns, and conversations that move people.

This is called thought leadership.
And no, it’s not about bragging or writing essays. It’s just about being clear.

So in your weekly check-ins with your team, start asking:

• Where are we doing well?
• Why are we doing well?
• What’s changed in our customer’s world?
• What are we doing differently?

Then use that as your message.

Let your team turn it into stories, campaigns, content, and visibility.

And from there—share that. With your team. With your stakeholders. With your customers.

Because thought leadership today is not a “nice to have”. It’s your visibility strategy.

What we’ve shared is based on what has worked in our experience. Your business may differ, so make the tweaks you need with confidence. If you’d like support along the way, we’re here to help.

For more help on how to record information from your meetings:

The Groundwork: Why the Media Keeps Asking you the Same Questions

The Groundwork: Relationship Thinking- If You Wouldn’t Ghost a Customer, Don’t Ghost the Media

The Groundwork: Why Stories Matter — Even If You Don’t “Need the Media”