Thought leadership

Approaching a group of five or ten individuals to inquire about the concept of thought leadership will likely result in diverse answers. Initially, I, too, struggled to grasp the meaning behind thought leadership, but after extensive research and experience in the publishing industry, I finally understood its significance.

At its core, thought leadership involves deeply understanding a brand or organisation and its purpose. Thought leaders possess expert knowledge in their respective fields. They can effectively communicate with their target audience to influence their opinions, a fundamental goal for publishers seeking to inform, impact and influence.

However, thought leadership goes beyond mere knowledge and communication; it also involves connecting with the audience. Daniel Rasmus contends that thought leadership should incite, challenge, and inspire people, even those familiar with a company. Thought leadership intersects with content marketing, delving into provocative and educational thinking, idea generation, and providing guidance and clarity to people.

Thought leadership spurs novel directions and ways of thinking, uncovers new or improved approaches, and motivates action. Thought leadership comes in three categories: industry, product, and organisational thought leadership.

Industry thought leadership centers on the news, trends, and forces that shape the industry’s market. The thought leader uses innovative thoughts and insights to develop and share information with their audience. This type of thought leadership also entails providing a fresh perspective rather than regurgitating past ideas.

Product thought leadership aims to guide companies from point A to point B on the best methods for conducting business within an industry. It involves sharing best practices, strategic roadmaps, how-to guides, and information on the product’s potential for transformation. This content and ideas indicate a company’s thought leadership, inspiring others to partner with them.

Thought leadership is crucial to driving and reflecting a company’s culture, vision, and innovation. Netflix CEO Reed Hastings set the standard with his 126-page slide deck outlining how he hires, fires, and rewards employees. This unprecedented insight into a company’s inner workings sparked a movement for other businesses to follow. More than 6.5 million views later, “Netflix Culture” initiated a conversation among business leaders on creating the perfect workplace, attracting and retaining top talent, and defining a company’s culture.

To achieve thought leadership, define your leadership goals and align them with your organisational vision. Next, develop manageable ideas and use marketing concepts to break down your ideas. Finally, define success criteria, measure and report on it.