We all want thought leadership in our respective markets. But in the rush of everyone clamoring to reach that lofty pinnacle, the pursuit can get noisy, tiring, and sometimes very frustrating.
However, in times of frustration, it helps to know with clarity — or in some cases, rediscover (if we’ve wandered off the path) — what thought leadership means at its core. Forbes defines it in two parts:
[1] A thought leader is an individual or firm that prospects, clients, referral sources, intermediaries and even competitors recognize as one of the foremost authorities in selected areas of specialization, resulting in its being the go-to individual or organization for said expertise…[2] A thought leader is an individual or firm that significantly profits from being recognized as such.
The value of thought leadership reminds us why we’re in the race to begin with, and that can give us a second wind. But there’s more: the good news is that there are tangible, things-you-can-do-now steps that will bring you closer to that prized title of thought leader.