How do you develop a reputation for being a thought leader?
By Julie Bennett
This March, we celebrate our 20th year as a communications business, working mostly with business and finance clients. Along the way, we’ve had the privilege of helping many thought leaders find their voices so they can publicly air their game-changing ideas. What we see from these people, time and again, is that when it comes to thought leadership, they are prepared to go the extra mile. As a result, they become both well-recognised and well-respected in their industries.
But what does going the extra mile, in this context, really mean?
It means not just contributing to important conversations, but exploring and presenting inspired ideas on how to solve important issues.
I’d like to illustrate this point with an example. We worked with a client, an executive with many runs on the board and a depth of knowledge, wisdom, and experience in his industry. He voiced an opinion in the trade media that the industry needed to genuinely collaborate, in a spirit of cooperation, and work together constructively for the common good.
What’s so thought leadership about that, I hear you ask? There are plenty of examples of people calling for greater collaboration in their industries.
The thought-leadership part was that he went deeper than airing his opinion on what he thought was a key issue in the industry, he thought creatively about solving it. He explored the science of collaboration, and looked at models that might help create a meaningful voice that would ultimately lead to improved outcomes for all. Then he talked about the issue, long and loud, in industry media. I’m happy to say that him going that extra mile helped encourage the development of a working group and better collaboration within his industry.
This example highlights key steps in the thought leadership journey:
1. Know your why
You must know why you want to speak up before you do. Click here for my earlier post that speaks to this.
2. Know your stuff
You don’t have to have a PhD, but you obviously do have to know what you’re talking about. Nothing is going to undo your credibility faster than putting forward a point of view which reveals you haven’t thought deeply enough about the issue you are talking to. Take some time to read trade media articles, opinion pieces written by others in your field, and the comments section on media stories.
3. Think creatively
Expand your mind when thinking about the issues in your industry. Which of them really irks or interests you? What would you do if you were in a position to change it? Research how other industries have dealt with similar issues. Are there solutions that might be adapted to fit your industry?
4. Tinker, tailor
Talk to people, either in person or in small, trusted, online discussion groups. Go into this with the right mindset. Question viewpoints, but in a respectful and constructive way. Sound out some of the creative solutions you are thinking about. In other words, tinker with your evolving solution, the way you might if you were working on physical prototype products. Tailor them so that they fit your audience and your goals. You don’t have to have a perfect solution yet, but you do have to have well-thought-out ideas.
5. Boldly go where others fear to tread
When you feel ready, and not before, take your prototype to a wider audience. This might be delivering a presentation at an industry event, or it might be offering to write an opinion piece (op/ed) for industry media.
Expect people to question your ideas. In order to meet your goals, you want to be both supported and challenged. However, avoid responding online to any comment that is particularly vitriolic, and try not to take negative comments personally. Instead, use insights you think are valid to further tinker and tailor your solutions.
6. Keep thinking and keep talking
Thought leadership is an ongoing process. The more you think and talk about the issues you have explored, the more you will develop your reputation as a thought leader.
CONTACT US to discover how 64 Media can help you develop your reputation as a thought leader.
Writing a business book is one of the most powerful ways you can demonstrate your thought leadership. CLICK HERE to see how we can help.