What Does A Thought Leader Look Like?
In the business world, there is a huge difference between a manager and a leader. Every manager understands the challenges they face to get acknowledged as a leader by their team. It is a long process that will need to establish trust, knowledge, and empathy.
But, your team acknowledgment is only the beginning of the journey as a leader. Leadership is about driving your business and your team forward, motivating people, and giving them a vision they can relate to. Yet, a leader to a team carries little weight in a competitive market. Someone like Steve Jobs, for instance, has been praised for his leadership abilities by competitors. Why so? Because Jobs was a thought leader. He was someone who could disturb the tech status quo and make space for Apple. He was someone other companies would listen to. He was, for a long time, the voice of the smartphone industry.
So… not everyone can be Steve Jobs. But that doesn’t mean you can’t be a thought leader.
Someone who’s educated in their field
A thought leader is someone who can speak confidently about their industry. It doesn’t mean you should know everything about it. But you need to be educated in your field to confidently juggle new ideas and strategies. You might choose to pursue your studies to assert your expertise. Alternatively, you can also consider other sources of information, such as audience group research and tech innovations. While a former computing engineer, Steve Jobs did not design the iPhone he presented to the audience in 2007. He, however, understood the technological potential and the audience mindset.
Someone who has a portfolio of successes
A thought leader knows what they are talking about. So, the audience is more likely to trust someone who has a history of success and involvement in the relevant field. Someone such as Paul Ognibene of Cohasset, for instance, is a respected voice in real estate development projects because he’s got a long history of supporting communities through a variety of services. His involvement in revitalizing real estate comes from a deep understanding of community needs, which he gathered through his successful career.
Someone who’s published about their field
Publishing a book may not be the quickest way to get noticed by your peers. But it is one of the most effective if you wish to speak at events and share your idea with a broad audience. Writing a book positions you as an expert. Unlike bloggers who can enjoy short-lived expertise online, a writer can live forever on the shelves of a library. Your book could become a development tool for professionals as well as a strategy to gain the public’s trust.
Someone who’s recognized by others
Thought leaders know they have achieved their goals when they receive requests to appear as a guest at events and on other platforms. Whether you are invited as a speaker to a conference or appearing as an expert in a video interview, recognition is the highest form of praise you can receive from the public.
Be seen, be heard, be trusted, as the leader says. Be seen by those in your industry but not in your business, and you can establish yourself as a reputable thought leader. To disturb the market with new ideas, you need to make sure that the market is ready to listen to you.
