As we continue to celebrate Women’s History Month, we shine a spotlight on the invaluable contributions of women in journalism. This week, we had the privilege of speaking with Katie McNally, Lindsay Lewis, Melanie Cohen, and Victoria Hudgins. Their insights on thought leadership, collaboration, and genuine expression provide valuable guidance for aspiring journalists and thought leaders alike.
Katie McNally – Editor at Large, Law360
What makes a thought leadership piece or quote unique and topical?
Katie shares, “Standout thought leadership pieces focus on newsworthy issues and discuss them from the author’s expert perspective. To start, a great piece will subtly answer the question: Why do readers want to know about this issue right now? Once that hurdle is cleared, the piece will jump right into providing original commentary — minimizing discussion of background information and sharing personal observations and opinions as soon as possible.”
Lindsay Lewis – Editor, Building Enclosure Magazine
How can thought leaders stand out in the media?
Lindsay emphasizes collaboration and celebrating others’ success, saying, “I think it’s important in any position, especially in a position of power, to lift one another up. Whenever I get the chance, I try to make space for someone else’s success. Whether it’s spotlighting female architects and engineers for our magazine every March for Women’s History Month or looking for opportunities to collaborate with other authors for my side job—I strive to collaborate.”
Melanie Cohen – Senior Editor, Bloomberg
What makes a thought leadership piece or quote unique and topical?
Melanie’s perspective on genuine expression stands out: “Thought leadership content is the most valuable and unique when it expresses genuine thoughts and minimizes ‘corporate speak.’ If you want to reach people, you can’t just say what’s been echoed ad nauseam; you need to tack your content to current cultural talking points and be as real and relatable as possible.”
Victoria Hudgins -Reporter at Law Business Research and Lexology PRO
What makes a thought leadership piece unique and topical?
Victoria shares the importance of creating a quote that is understandable to readers: “For my technology and business beat, the best quotes are typically insights that highlight struggles for an organization to adhere to new regulatory or court requirements. When reporting about business and technology, it’s very easy to fall for jargon. When experts and insiders can pull the curtain and reveal what’s really going on, it provides helpful details about business realities.”