"You need a point of view," they say, “It’ll make you stand the f*ck out,” they say.

But why? Most can't give you a straight answer.

And so we either avoid developing a distinct point of view or crafting one that lacks depth because we don’t truly understand its purpose.

But, without one, our actions could look random, and our people are left confused. It’s easier for them to walk away rather than try to understand what’s going on.

This usually strikes a chord with my clients because they finally understand why it’s important for their business and how they should craft one.

In other words, don't just adopt a point of view because you're told to. Instead, share a specific point of view that is there to protect your audience from harm. By doing this, you’re showing that you’re willing to take a “hit” in the short term to be trusted in the long term, and you show your actions are careful choices.

Ok, time to go meta...

The above is my point of view on... points of view. I've used the structure I advise folks to follow when starting out:

• Commonly held belief: What others tend to think or do.
• Consequence: What tends to happen as a result.
• Direct effect: How it's affecting your people.
• Proof: Why others should believe you (personal anecdotes, stories, stats…).
• Solution: What should be done instead.

Now, you don’t have to follow this structure religiously. Instead, trust your audience to understand what you imply.

Here’s an example from web analytics company Plausible.

Notice how easy it is to understand why they’re here and what they’re about in just two sentences.

Now it's your turn...

Why are you doing what you're doing? What pisses you off the most about the industry you're in? How exactly is it affecting your people?