Brian Solis

Professional, thoughtful, and advisory, but written in a warm, accessible, conversational tone.

Leans heavily toward informative and persuasive, with motivational undertones aimed at leaders and executives.

Not academic or jargon-heavy; instead, uses plain language to explain strategic and complex topics.

Style is structured and methodical in logic, but delivered in a way that feels like a direct conversation or keynote excerpt, not a formal report.

Medium-to-high energy, but controlled. It’s not hyped-up; it’s urgent in a calm, grounded way.

Often reflective and future-oriented, with a slightly provocative edge: “the rules of engagement are about to change,” “The leaders we’re waiting for aren’t coming. It’s us.”

Uses curiosity, possibility, and constructive warning as emotional drivers. Less “doom,” more “wake-up call + invitation.”

Frequent use of rhetorical contrasts: past vs future, iteration vs innovation, candles vs light bulbs, experimenting vs leading.

Recurrent device: identifying a “trap” or mistake leaders make, then reframing the question (“Stop asking X, start asking Y”).

Uses metaphor and analogy often (candles/light bulbs, AI “wicks,” waves, curves, gameboard, being “on the menu,” “pilot purgatory”).

Strategic use of short, standalone lines for impact: “That's the moment we’re in now.” / “It’s us. 👈”

Regular direct engagement with the reader, explicitly inviting reflection: “What are you seeing?”, “Where are you in this story?”

Mix of external authority and personal perspective: quotes (Steve Jobs, Vinod Khosla, Prefontaine), references to Bain, Menlo, Benedict Evans, paired with “In my latest newsletter,” “In a recent keynote, I shared…”

Primarily second-person “you,” directly addressing leaders, executives, teams: “Here’s where you come in…”, “If you’re waiting…”

Introduce content created by the author (newsletter, keynote, book).

Express personal gratitude or feelings in more intimate posts (about a friend, holiday, or book).

We” is used inclusively to create a shared sense of responsibility: “We’re optimizing candles…”, “The leaders we’re waiting for aren’t coming. It’s us.

Commands are generally direct but not harsh: “Stop asking… Start asking…”, “Own the AI agenda. Don’t delegate it.” This is balanced by softer prompts: “Ask: Where could AI…?”, “Please read and share.”

The voice positions the reader as a capable but under-challenged leader who needs to think bigger, not as someone incompetent.