Metamorphosis To Thought Leader, Part III

This is the final post from my metamorphosis to becoming a thought leader. 

Now that you have read Parts I and II of becoming a thought leader, you may still wonder “what’s in it for me?” To answer that question, I shall remind you that your brand matters. Let’s say you are offered the chance to work for a prestigious firm and are slated to bank six figures but the organization is morally bankrupt. Do you suck it up and get the money, or pass up the big bucks to make a larger impact for a much smaller salary and the chance to be valued as more than just a Social Security Number and work ID badge? Think about it.

If I am contemplating hitching my proverbial wagon to an idea, it had better be damn good and the buy-in must connect both the authority and the brand. Otherwise, neither is authentic. It’s why Levi’s jeans and Ford pickup trucks have been American mainstays for so long along with the excitement (as kids in the ‘80s) of getting the JC Penney Christmas catalog in early August.

To drive results beyond your wildest dreams, keep the five tenets in mind:

A)    Identify the questions your constituents are asking.  IDENTIFY THEM ALL, then prioritize them.

B)    Answer those questions in a variety of ways that bring value to the audience by starting with the most important and working your way down the list. You don’t have to be a know-it-all to have credibility, just answer the basic questions clearly, concisely, and truthfully.

C)    Give to Get. This is not the time for self-promotion or registration hurdles. You’re a thought leader, not a pen-pushing bureaucrat stick in a dead end role.

D)    Make it interesting. A thought leader’s true ROI comes when people remember not what was said but HOW your points were expressed. While it is mandatory to educate, make yourself memorable by entertaining your audience – telling stories, using examples, providing finger foods, and so forth.

E)     Participation. The greatest way to earn capital is to engage your audience. By doing so, everyone has skin in the idea and you can also finesse your own perspective.

You don’t have to be the smartest guy in the room or the most charismatic to become a thought leader. What you are doing is beginning a relationship where none exists and enhancing existing ones through cultivating inspiration, challenges, and intrigue akin to going on a first date with a new person.