Leading the Conversation

Are you in charge of the conversation?

Thought leadership is a popular catch phrase. Business people and companies in all types of industries and in all sorts of functional roles want to be known as thought leaders.

But what is thought leadership? How do you know when you have created true thought leadership?

In its most basic form in the business world, thought leadership is having and sharing innovative ideas. It’s that simple. And yet, it’s easy to call something thought leadership, even when it isn’t.

To lead means to guide someone, to show them the way, by going in advance. As a leader, you get there first and help others follow you. To be a thought leader means you or your company gets to an idea or concept first. Then you bring the rest of us along by the hand and show us how to get there ourselves.

Thought leadership is:

New
It’s an idea, product, service, or solution that didn’t exist before you or your company discovered it. A cutting-edge technology you just developed. A new way to solve an old problem. A novel approach to an existing way of thinking. A creative strategy that expands a current idea.

Distinctive
It’s something only you or your company can say. Even your competitors don’t know it, or they don’t think about it in the same way. It’s based on the wisdom gained from your industry seen through the filter of your company and experience.

Great
It’s above average. It’s not just a new way to express a particular idea. It’s a new paradigm that causes people to think about an idea in an entirely different way.

Risky
It’s taking a stand and being ready to fight for what you believe in. It’s being ready to defend your hypothesis against those who will try to prove you wrong. It’s knowing that you may be proven wrong and daring them to try.

Visionary
It’s taking what you know now and imagining a different future. It’s taking insight from past your mistakes. It’s invention. It’s the act of creation.

Are you ready to take the lead?

-October 2010