Looking at the fears that trip you up can help you overcome the roadblocks to sharing your insight.

People share smart thoughts all the time in our firm. I try to always recognize the person when they do. Sometimes you'll hear an idea and think, "We ought to share that in a post or create a guide that would benefit others."

That's quite a compliment when someone encourages you to publish your expertise. But a funny thing happens when you say it out loud. I've seen it happen a lot. The person who offered the idea suddenly shrinks. You hear a disbelieving, "Really?" Or, "Well, that's just my opinion."

I've written before that you are more of an expert than you realize. Publishing your thought leadership should not be an anxiety-inducing experience. A good way to get started is to examine the fears that can keep you from sharing.

Fear 1. I've never done this before

You have an understanding that comes from operating day in and day out at your specific line of work. It's easy to underestimate the knowledge and insight you have amassed over all those days. Recognize that you have something to offer and give yourself permission to share your insight.

Fear 2. I'm not an expert

The word 'expert' can trip us up. So let's relieve ourselves of the burden of that moniker. You have a point of view to share. Maybe it's a shortcut you discovered while doing your job day in and day out. Or maybe it's a valuable lesson you learned from a failure. That's all valuable stuff to share.

Fear 3. I'll leave something out

In the old days, revising meant reprinting and reshipping materials. It was expensive. Today, revisions can be made on the fly and republished online in minutes. All of which means you need to change the way you look at your insight sharing. You should consider it ever-evolving.