Have you ever fancied yourself a thought leader? Are there well-tested and proven methodologies or strategies for graduating one into thought leadership?
If there are certain people who you admire then you have been touched by a thought leader.
If we all painstakingly observe people of influence we will discover certain consistent patterns and traits.
Why not? It is a product of sleepless nights with endless benefits. Top thought leaders are quite incessant in growing and elevating their brands.
Let us dive and delve into understanding who is a thought leader. The most obvious synonym for thought leadership is an influencer.
This is a person who furnishes people with valuable perspectives and insights in a particular industry or profession.
Thought leaders are quite visible on diverse platforms. They are quite colourful. One can postulate that they are very charismatic.
There is a lot of magnetism that can be seen by influencers. They are trendsetters.
So, what are the fundamentals of engineering an enduring and profitable thought leadership?
One of the sources of power is profound expertise in a particular area of specialisation. As Francis Bacon said in 1597, knowledge is power.
Thought leaders come into being by the round-the-clock creation and dissemination of knowledge and information.
This is well measured within certain time frames because scarcity is power.
They are reservoirs of wisdom, data or intelligence relevant to a particular sphere of influence. It is verifiable knowledge that establishes one’s credibility because you know people are cynical and sceptical in nature.
Great influencers exude authenticity. One cannot become credible without useful knowledge.
They play the game with long-term goals in mind. They think outside the box. Experienced thought leaders have a penchant for lateral thinking.
This means that they expend their mental energies on imaginative thinking. They transcend the usual ways of thinking. That is, creative and innovative ways of doing things are one of the spanners in the toolbox.
The best inspiring people are fountains of learning and development within their circles. Since they are a credible authority on their subject matter, they teach, coach and mentor their audience.
Influencers are kaizen driven, this implies that they continuously improve their craft. They disrupt the way information, products and services are delivered.
They rebrand to remain relevant. They reinvent themselves so that their menu is better than yesterday.
Sharing is caring for these disrupters. One can amass astronomical amounts of mental content, but that won’t be enough to qualify one as an influencer.
Mr Magoma is an Award-Winning HR expert and trainer; [email protected]
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