What makes a thought leader?
A thought leader is an individual who shares their story to inspire others and lead by example. They are transparent about their experiences and are willing to be honest about the ups and downs of their journey. It’s one thing to share your story, it’s another thing to motivate others to learn from your story and make a change in their own life.
Thought leaders have an area of expertise that they become known for. With this in mind, thought leaders have to stay up to date and relevant in their industry to maintain their credibility in the field.
The stories and experiences of an individual are the most valuable assets of a thought leader. They have gone through barriers and hardships to succeed in order to be credible.
Thought leaders are respectful, enthusiastic, and honest.
Respect as a thought leader is an outlook and openness to the world. Thought leaders build trust within their audience by leading by example. People look up to them because of what they have been through and how they share their stories. The way in which their experiences are explained defines the “state of the art thinking” that is seen through the audience’s lense.
Enthusiasm comes from your passion and vision for what you do. To be unique, to be different, you have to be passionate about your dream. Thought leaders are satisfied with the impact they are making onto the audience around them. They enjoy seeing the impact and drive of those around them.
Honestly is the trust that is built by putting your story out into the world even if it doesn’t look perfect. It is when someone can be authentic with their audience.
I typically think of a thought leader as an individual and their story. Company culture can also be looked at as a thought leader because they display their values and lesson on a transparent level.
Thought leaders listen, think, and act strategically. There are many different characteristics of thought leaders, but it is how they portray those characteristics to there following that makes the difference.
