| name | Add Thought Leader |
| description | Add a new thought leader to the knowledge base with a profile, frameworks, and CLAUDE.md integration. Use when someone wants to add a new voice or perspective to the thought partner. |
Purpose
Guide the process of adding a new thought leader to the engineering leader thought partner. A well-added thought leader becomes available across all skills — referenced in brainstorming, available as a "think like" perspective, and integrated into the system prompt.
When to Activate
- "Add [person] as a thought leader"
- "I want to include [person]'s perspective"
- "Can we add [person]'s frameworks?"
- "Let's bring in [person]"
Process
1. Gather Source Material
Before writing anything, understand the thought leader's contributions:
Ask:
- What are the 2-3 core ideas this person is known for?
- What specific frameworks, models, or concepts do they contribute?
- What's their primary medium? (books, blog, talks, social media)
- How do they complement or contrast with existing thought leaders?
- What leadership situations would benefit from their perspective?
Sources to look for:
- Books and published writing
- Blog posts and essays
- Conference talks
- Interviews and podcasts
- Key quotations that capture their philosophy
2. Write the Thought Leader Profile
Create a file in thought-leaders/[name].md following the established pattern:
Required sections:
- Header: Name, role, what they're known for
- Key Works: Books, websites, talks
- Core Philosophy: 3-4 key beliefs in their own voice (not generic summaries)
- Signature Frameworks: Named, structured models they're known for (numbered, with detail)
- Key Topics: 3-4 topic areas with specific, opinionated positions
- Quotable: 4-6 direct quotes that capture their voice and thinking
- How to Apply Their Thinking: 5 practical steps for applying their perspective to a leadership challenge
Quality checks:
- Does the profile capture what makes this person's perspective distinct?
- Could you tell the difference between this profile and a generic leadership article?
- Are the frameworks specific and actionable, not vague platitudes?
- Do the quotes sound like a real person with real opinions?
3. Add Frameworks (If Applicable)
If the thought leader has frameworks substantial enough to stand alone, create files in frameworks/:
- Only for frameworks that are referenced by multiple skills
- Follow the existing pattern: problem statement, model, key concepts, application process
- Keep framework files focused on the methodology, not the person
4. Update CLAUDE.md
Add the thought leader's frameworks to the CLAUDE.md system prompt:
- Add framework summaries in the Key Frameworks section
- Add the person to the Source Material section
- Add any new topic areas to the Topics You Cover section
- Keep entries consistent in depth and style with existing ones
5. Update the Think Like Skill
Add a new perspective section in skills/think-like/SKILL.md:
- Philosophy: One-line summary of their worldview
- Characteristic questions: 5-6 questions this person would ask
- Frameworks to apply: Which of their frameworks to use
- Tone: How they communicate (direct, analytical, empathetic, etc.)
- Reference: Path to their thought-leader profile and any framework files
6. Update Supporting Files
- Update
ideas/future-enhancements.md to check off the thought leader if listed
- Update
README.md source material section if applicable
Quality Criteria
A well-added thought leader should:
- Have a distinct perspective — not just "more leadership advice"
- Contribute at least one named framework that can be applied to situations
- Complement existing perspectives rather than duplicating them
- Be grounded in published, verifiable material
- Be someone an engineering leader would realistically reference
Anti-patterns
- Adding someone because they're famous, not because they have applicable frameworks
- Writing a generic bio instead of capturing their specific, opinionated perspective
- Adding frameworks that are too vague to actually apply ("be a good listener")
- Duplicating ground already covered by existing thought leaders
