In this week’s thought leadership roundup, we take a look at some industry best practices, six golden rules, and expert advice from LinkedIn’s own VP of Corporate Communications.
5 Best Practices of Thought Leadership
From the Social Buzz Club:
“Creating “best of” and “most influential” lists is also a great way to increase your organization’s influence. Thought leaders continually strive to be recognized on the basis of their work and make a “list”.
The best way for thought leaders to achieve success is to continue what they are doing and to have fun while doing it. Creating a list which is relevant to your industry is a great way to attain impressive results. Not only does your firm get recognized for creating the list, but you are attracting the attention, and if done right, making friends with the influencers in your industry.”
Our take: Although the term ‘best practices’ is about as ambiguous and dependent on context as thought leadership itself, it never hurts to find common tactics used across industries. In this piece, you’ll find applicable advice that you may not have considered before, specifically when it comes to strategy and utilizing various channels of communication.
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The Golden Rules of Thought Leadership
From the Inc.:
“There are certainly exceptions, but for the most part, Thought Leaders are master communicators. They can draw in an audience with their speeches, their blogs, or their savvy tweets. The good news is that this is one skill set everyone can actively improve upon. Get a speech coach, join Toastmasters, or take a blogging class. Here’s the deal: Thought Leaders love to communicate, anytime, anyplace. Learn to do it well.
[There’s] not a Thought Leader out there who doesn’t genuinely love what he does, and adore his industry. They will keep doing what they do regardless of status, pay level, or praise.”
Our take: Though the definitions and explanations in this article are not totally unique, what’s great about it is the way the author advises people on how to identify true thought leaders in a space. Too often, people are eager to take this title or apply to someone whose position they support, without assessing whether or not it’s appropriate. This article not only warns against doing so, but shows you how to be cautious, thus saving you from wasting time digging through content that won’t offer new perspectives or theories.
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Ask the Expert: Shannon Stubo on Thought Leadership Strategy
From theLinkedIn Marketing Blog:
“Before launching your first bit of thought leadership content, clearly define what you’re trying to say and why. If you want to be a thought leader, it’s important to make sure you have ideas to share on a consistent basis that are valuable to your target audiences. Ask yourself: What’s your special sauce as a leader? What unique experiences or areas of expertise do you have to share? What are the important influences in your life and career that have shaped your leadership style and worldview? Which of your learnings could benefit others?”
Our take: What with the rapid information deluge we now live in, it’s incredibly tempting to forego diligent research in lieu of a quick Google session. But this is especially dangerous for budding thought leaders — without knowing who you’re talking to, what they’re interested in, and whether or not you can provide interesting and actionable content for them on a regular basis, all you’re likely to end up doing is adding digital fluff to the cloud. And if anyone knows how to do TL right? It’s the VP of Corporate Comms from LinkedIn.
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