IN DEFENCE OF CONTROVERSY

Should thought leadership be controversial? Yes and no.

If you’re part of the c-suite, a hot take on the hottest political issues might carry some risk. And no offence, but nobody asked you and you might not have that much to offer anyway.

But controversy can be low-stakes if you’re savvy about it. Don’t believe me? Write an impassioned post about your love for pineapple on pizza or argue that the window seat is better than the aisle seat (It definitely is, by the way).

It’s a tried and true strategy. Morning TV and talkback radio get a lot of mileage out of it. There’s no reason you can’t do it too. You just need to find a hot take that drives the right type of engagement.