Just a thought: Be a leader
True thought leaders inspire people with innovative ideas
Thinking gets a bad name. Depending on how it’s presented, “thought leadership” can be inspiring or off-putting. Many of today’s businesses insert “thought leader” in job descriptions, but do entrepreneurs really know what thought leadership looks like?
Adel de Meyer has a few leading thoughts on the topic. She is a social media specialist, live-streaming show host, author and mentor. She works with entrepreneurs, startups, personal brands and business owners to identify opportunities within social media and how to use social media as a marketing and relationship-building tool.
De Meyer talked with Ivana Taylor, owner of DIYMarketers, along with marketing, strategy, leadership and business consultant Iva Ignjatovic about thought leadership and how it can help business.
Thought leadership means you’ve earned the reputation for being a prime person to listen to in your field. Don’t squander it. Be sure what you say is based on facts.
“Thought leaders are the informed opinion leaders and the go-to people in their field of expertise,” de Meyer said. “They are trusted sources who move and inspire people with innovative ideas.”
According to Ignjatovic, in the last 20 years, “leadership has changed a lot, and with it, thought leadership emerged as an instrumental part of a successful business.”
Taylor also noted the difference.
“It used to be that thought leaders and influencers were restricted to people with large audiences,” she said. “Today, there is a long tail of leaders at every level.”
De Meyer agreed.
“I love how leadership has matured and given so much opportunity to more leaders out there today,” she said. “The most significant change has been that influence moved from being offline to being offline and online.
“It also has given lots more people the opportunity to become thought leaders or influencers in their fields,” de Meyer said. “Gotta love the power of social media. It truly changed the world as we know it.”
Thoughts of a leader
There are no particular qualifications to be a thought leader. True thought leaders say things out of the ordinary that make people stop and think for themselves. The problem is when people build reputations and blurt out stuff for the sake of being heard.
“Thought leaders have a mix of real-life and academic experience,” Taylor said. “They are able to communicate complex concepts in simple terms.”
Ignjatovic took a broader view.
“Thought leaders create positive change not only in their business but on a global scale,” she said.
Good ideas sprout anywhere, anytime from anyone.
“Thought leadership can come from any source — executives, customers, managers, salespeople,” de Meyer said. “We all have knowledge, experience and a point of view. But ultimately, thought leaders need to inspire your consumers to act — to take the next step in their journey.”
All business owners don’t need to be thought leaders, but “thought leadership” is the latest shiny object. Many entrepreneurs believe thought leadership is a must to keep up with the Jonses.
“Not every small business owner needs or wants to become a thought leader, but it surely helps you to grow your business as you reach a broader audience and become the ‘go-to’ person for that topic,” de Meyer said.
“Take Richard Branson,” she said. “For years, his name has become one of the most recognizable in the world. It wasn’t just Virgin that brought him so much recognition but what he put behind the brand as himself. He allowed people to get to know him, making his brand people-centered.”
Ignjatovic said thought leadership ought to take hold in smaller arenas.
“All small business owners should strive to be a thought leader,” she said. “Even if they are not, those actions will improve their business and everything around it.”
Creating a mindset
Large or small, Taylor said all entrepreneurs should have a thought leader mindset.
“Business owners need to be a thought leader in their specific area,” she said. “They do this by having a specific point of view. In some ways it’s easier to share your thoughts and passion, but to drive action and inspiration you’ve really got to stand out.
“I think about my local landscaper, who has a background in horticulture or sustainable landscapes,” Taylor said. “To me, that’s a thought leader. I’d choose his company over someone who just mows and plants.”
Personal branding and thought leadership are related. You can personally brand yourself as a thought leader. Just be sure what you speak is not empty words.
“Isn’t that the beauty of social media and the internet?” Taylor asked. “If you can’t get the traction, you’re not going anywhere. It’s a thin line between thought leadership and personal branding. People can be thought leaders, but no one may know about them.”
Ignjatovic sees a close link.
“Thought leadership is tightly connected with personal branding,” she said. “Being an expert is not the same as being and showing the expertise. Personal branding is ‘packaging.’ Thought leadership is what’s inside, the essence — no faking there.”
Neither element comes in equal parts, according to de Meyer.
“Thought leadership and personal brand go hand in hand,” she said. “However, you do find great thought leaders in this world who don’t have a strong personal brand presence online.
“So, you can have a personal brand with no influence and the other way around,” de Meyer said. “If you focus on providing consistent, high-quality content — sharing the knowledge — you’ll have stronger influence and the ability to educate and empower others along the way.”
Great insights
Certain types of content can influence your opinion of someone that makes you say, “That’s a thought leader.” For Taylor, “I look for content that is thorough, that contains details or insights only someone who has worked deeply in an area would have.”
Such content would have to be outstanding for Ignjatovic.
“It has to be written in a special way,” she said. “Many preach, not many teach. It’s not easy to pass on the knowledge to others.”
De Meyer cautioned against people who dispense with engagement.
“Over automation is a bad sign,” she said. “To me, thought leaders don’t automate everything and never engage their audience. I also look at engagement from bots. Those are easy to spot.”
She also cited the noted non-bot Chris Koch: “Thought leadership is a way to build a relationship with prospects based on knowledge — not on products and services.”
Thought leaders share common traits. For instance, everyone has a platform. The profound thought leaders capitalize on that opportunity.
Ignjatovic favors empathy.
“True thought leaders need it to truly connect and understand other people and their needs,” she said.
Words count, according to Taylor.
“Every thought leader must have the ability to communicate simply or clearly,” she said. “It’s easy to parrot jargon. A thought leader can communicate complex ideas simply and easily.”
De Meyer wants added value.
“Thought leaders have a genuine desire to help, educate or entertain others,” she said. “All of them are highly committed to really making a difference in their industry. Building influence is not an easy task and definitely not for everyone.”
Social media element
These days, social media is also a big factor for thought leadership, although simply being there should not be the priority. Focus instead on being social, available and a source of valuable information. You’ll eventually become a thought leader by default, not fiat.
“Social media has the power to make or break a thought leader,” Taylor said. “Someone can be mediocre but have great social media skills and be perceived as great and vice versa.”
While social media is important, Ignjatovic said thought leaders “don’t have to be everywhere. People will come to them.”
Wherever thought leaders give their thoughts, de Meyer said they must be available.
“Being active on social media plays a significant role in today’s world of influence and thought leadership,” she said. “It shows you are accessible, authentic and interested in sharing your knowledge. This builds trust easier, so it’s a must in my books.
“Effectiveness as a thought leader truly depends on your niche, your position and also how long you’ve been a thought leader,” de Meyer said. “Social media is not a must for every leader, but it definitely helps either to build trust or share your knowledge, creating influence or innovation.”
Broad vs. narrow
Does it make a difference to be a thought leader in a broad category or a niche? Don’t be fussy. Do and say good things on social media. Whether broad category or niche, it’s what you have to offer, not the sector, that counts.
“For me, being thought leader is about niche expertise,” Ignjatovic said. “No matter how complex the topic, it’s always something specific.”
De Meyer wasn’t worried about the difference.
“There is no wrong or right answer,” she said. “Having a focused area of expertise is always better.
“We all know you can’t be an expert in everything marketing, but you can be a Facebook expert or Twitter ads professional,” de Meyer said. “Having a narrow focus also makes it easier to build influence in that niche as you can really focus your time and energy.”
Taylor wants tighter concentration.
“I prefer thought leaders in specific niches,” she said. “First, there’s room for more thought leaders. Second, you get better, deeper, more insightful information from niche experts.”
You can be derailed from thought leadership when you start to think it’s all about you and not what you say. Authentic thought leaders leave their egos at the door.
“Everything starts and ends with the people,” Ignjatovic said. “Working with the wrong people should be avoided at all costs. Tip: Pick carefully. Listen to your gut.”
Taylor said thought leaders should think about who they are.
“Who you are as a human being is everything,” she said. “Thought leaders who are driven by ego miss out on changing the world.”
De Meyer warned against the electrified rails to avoid at all costs.
“Stay away from online politics, religion, Twitter wars, and don’t post those drunk selfies at the bar,” she said. “Remember, you are in the public eye every minute of the day now.”
She also emphasized being true to what you say.
“Anybody can put words on paper and create a marketing campaign,” de Meyer said. “Thought leadership, is where you walk the talk. The moment you open your mouth, people will know if you truly are an ‘expert’ in your field, and your reputation will also talk for itself.
“Thought leadership is the goal,” she said. “Content marketing and promoting is the means. They go hand in hand, but not all content marketing contains thought leadership. It is a fine line.”
About The Author
Jim Katzaman is a manager at Largo Financial Services and worked in public affairs for the Air Force and federal government. You can connect with him on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
