Should You Publish A Half-Baked Idea? The Thought Leader’s Dilemma

When I coach and teach, whether it’s a top executive or a top-tier scientist, one haunting question returns again and again: Should they publish a half-baked idea?

It’s not a trivial concern. At its core lies fear—fear of being judged, fear of misrepresenting your expertise, fear of harming your reputation with a half-baked idea.

For those who’ve worked their whole lives to build a name, a half-baked idea can feel like a risky bet. What if it undermines the solid foundation you’ve built? What if people think you’re guessing?

I call this fear “the judge on your shoulder.” It’s that internal voice whispering, Who do you think you are? You’re not ready. You’ll embarrass yourself.

In my book Write Like a Thought Leader, I offer a simple but powerful technique to deal with the judge: don’t engage. Instead, say, “Say you so.” It’s a quiet act of non-compliance, a way of nodding without internalizing the criticism.

This question of whether to publish comes up regularly with participants in my Harvard Alumni Entrepreneurs (HarvardAE) course as well. These are accomplished professionals—seasoned leaders, professors, serial founders.

The Half-Baked Idea And The Nature Of Expertise

From the outside, they are definitive experts. But from the inside, they, too, see the edges of what they don’t know. And that, paradoxically, is what makes them experts. The real ones are cautious. They test ideas. They iterate. They are humbled by the depth of their own domains.

Contrast that with another kind of persona: the mic-grabber. The overconfident non-expert who doesn’t pause before posting. This is the person who throws thoughts into the world without concern for nuance or context. Ironically, they’re rarely questioned. Meanwhile, the true experts—those with insight forged by experience—may be holding back.

So let’s return to the central question: Should you publish something that feels half-baked?

Your Editor Will Tell You If You Can Publish Something That Feels Like A Half-Baked Idea

The first person to consult is your editor. Not the colleague who says, “It’s great!” out of politeness, but a real editor—someone trained to see the shape of an idea and help you sharpen it. A good editor isn’t there to affirm you; they’re there to refine your thinking.

Often, an idea that feels incomplete is simply unpolished. You might be too close to it, or it might be unfamiliar terrain. Your editor can help you determine if it’s truly undercooked or just novel. And here’s the magic: what feels raw to you might feel revelatory to your readers.

Make sure your editor is someone who knows how to challenge without discouraging, someone who can tell you what you need to hear. That alone can be the difference between sitting on an idea for two years or publishing it next week.

Just because you feel an idea is potentially a half-baked idea, it is not necessarily that way.

Publish To A Small Circle First

If you’re not ready for a broader audience, consider piloting the idea inside your organization. A company newsletter, a chat thread, or even a roundtable discussion can serve as a proving ground for a new idea.

Be up front about your hesitation. Frame it like this: “This idea is in development, and I’d like to hear what resonates—or doesn’t.” This kind of intellectual transparency creates psychological safety. You invite others into your thinking process and foster a sense of co-creation. People love being invited into the making of something.

This practice doesn’t just develop the idea—it cultivates a thought leadership culture. It shows others that ideas don’t have to be pristine to be shared. And when leaders do this visibly, they give permission to their teams to do the same.

Let It Sit

There’s also value in doing nothing. Sometimes, the best way to test an idea is to stop thinking about it. Set it aside for a few weeks. Let your subconscious work on it while you focus elsewhere. When you return, you’ll see it with fresh eyes. Does it still hold energy for you? Does it seem more relevant, or less?

This simmering phase is crucial in the creative cycle. It gives you detachment. It prevents you from overworking or prematurely discarding an idea that just needed time to mature.

Thought Leadership Is a Practice, Not a Performance

One of the misconceptions I encounter most often is that thought leadership is about performance—a perfect article, a polished keynote, a TED-worthy insight. But thought leadership isn’t performance. It’s practice.

To lead with your thinking means you commit to ongoing ideation. You experiment. You test. You evolve. Some ideas will land solidly. Others won’t. But each one moves you forward. Publishing is not the end of a thought—it’s part of its development.

If you happen to have published a half-baked idea, then you happened to do that. It’s part of the process.

In fact, it’s often through the act of publishing that an idea takes shape. The feedback you receive, the conversations it triggers—these help you refine and grow your concept in ways solitary thinking can’t.

As a thought leader, you are not just offering answers. You’re inviting dialogue.

Strategic Implications for Organizations

For organizations, this question—“Should we publish this?”—is more than philosophical. It’s strategic. B2B companies that compete on intellectual capital need their experts visible. And visibility requires a steady stream of content. But if you wait until every idea is “fully cooked,” you’ll miss the moment.

Companies that lead in thought leadership, like IBM, Accenture, and Bain, have institutionalized a practice of iterative idea development. They don’t necessarily aim for perfection; they aim for progress. They build internal review systems, train editors, and support their experts through every stage of content development. They create conditions where it’s safe to test a point of view in public.

What’s more, publishing early-stage thinking can actually increase engagement. Readers feel closer to the idea. They’re more likely to comment, share, or build on it. And when you return later with a more developed take, they feel invested.

Building A Culture That Understand The Creative Process

If you’re working to build a thought leadership engine inside your organization, this question—whether to publish the “half-baked”—is not only valid, it’s essential to get clarity on. I believe you should encourage your experts to share responsibly while creating a culture that embraces curiosity and iteration. The ROI of this mindset goes far beyond any single article.

In thought leadership, the real win isn’t in being flawless. It’s in being first to frame the conversation—and brave enough to do it before everything feels finished.

A Personal Note

When I wrote Write Like a Thought Leader, I didn’t feel fully ready either. I started as a journalist. My comfort zone was telling others’ stories. Claiming my own authority took effort. I had my own judge on my shoulder, whispering that someone else could do it better.

But the moment I leaned into the discomfort, the work began to flow. The more I wrote, the more grounded I became in my own thinking. The process of writing became the process of growing as a thinker.

I’ve since heard from readers who had the same experience. They were waiting for their moment, waiting to feel ready. Then they realized: The moment is now. Readiness is not a prerequisite; it’s a result of action.

So, Should You Publish a Half-Baked Idea?

Yes—responsibly, strategically, and with care. Use your editor. Test it internally. Let it rest if needed. But don’t let the judge on your shoulder convince you to stay silent.

The world needs your perspective more than your perfection.

You’re not just publishing content. You’re shaping conversations. You’re inviting others into the evolution of your thinking. That’s what thought leadership is.

In this context, and with these processes, yes, you should publish a half-baked idea if that’s what it takes to get it fully baked.