Do you know who the thought leader is You probably follow many thought leaders in your field, or in any other areas that you are interested in, but have you ever thought about becoming a thought leader yourself
Note: This article is based on the writer and motivational speaker “Brian Tracy” (Brian Tracy), in which he talks to us about thought leadership, and how to become one of the thought leaders.
You will have a lot of benefits when you are a thought leader, for example, you can set your own schedule, people will appreciate your time, but this career path is not for everyone, it also has its disadvantages.
In this article, we provide helpful information about thought leadership, including how to become one of the thought leaders if you think it’s the right thing for you, read on to learn everything you need to know about thought leadership.
What is thought leadership
A thought leader is a person – or a company – recognized as an expert in a particular field, and thought leaders are people who can be relied on in their field, if you are a thought leader, people will look for you in every situation, and they want to hear your opinion and share.
Thought leaders have a strong position in society, they have worked hard to get to where they are now, they have spent years of their lives learning and gaining experience in order to gain people’s trust, and because of their innovative ideas, good relationships with others, they are qualified to make a big impact in their surroundings.
You probably already follow many thought leaders, even if you are not aware of this, a good example is the well-known entrepreneur and digital marketer “Neil Patel” (Neil Patel), who is one of the most important voices heard in the field of digital marketing.
Other names that you may know include the specialist in the field of customer service and digital marketing “Jay Baer” (Jay Baer), the writer and businesswoman “Arianna Huffington” (Arianna Huffington), the author of the book “four hours a week” (the 4-Hour Work Week) “Tim Ferriss” (Tim Ferriss), these are all good examples of thought leaders.
The benefits of being a thought leader:
Here are some of the main reasons why being a thought leader helps you and your brand, and here are some of the benefits you’ll enjoy once you become a thought leader in your field:
1. Value your time:
When others see you as a thought leader, they will pay more for your time, and you will be able to earn money only because people like to hear your ideas or know your point of view on a particular topic, it’s an easy way to earn money, you receive it only for your ideas.
People respect the opinions of thought leaders, they want to know what you have to say, because you are known as an expert.
2. Create your own schedule:
Successful thought leaders are often entrepreneurs, they act as they want, without being under a higher-ranking manager.among other benefits, this gives thought leaders high flexibility in their schedules, as they have the freedom to enjoy other aspects of life, such as traveling, family, hobbies, or whatever they want.
Once you have done the necessary work to become a thought leader, then you can live your life as you wish.
3. You are the expert:
Thought leaders are seen as the smartest people anywhere, people pay attention to you as a thought leader, they want to hear your sayings because they sincerely look forward to your opinions, appreciate your words, you have proven that you know what you are talking about, and now you can enjoy the feeling of being the person for whose expertise you are meant.
Disadvantages of being a thought leader:
Being a thought leader certainly brings you a lot of advantages, but there are also disadvantages to this career path, such as:
1. You are always under surveillance:
As a thought leader, everything you do or say is an observer, this increases stress in your life, if you slip your tongue by saying something, or you make a mistake by doing something that is not entirely within your field, this can reflect badly on you, and it is likely to cause you great repercussions.
2. The constant need to keep abreast of the latest developments:
There will always be new thought leaders in your field, so it’s important to keep up to date with the latest developments, and this, in turn, requires a lot of effort.
Intellectual pioneers should make an effort to keep following everything that is happening around them, thought leadership is a continuous work; so you need to stay in touch with your audience wherever it is, and stay following whatever topic you are an expert in.
Five ways to help you become a thought leader:
Now that you are aware of the disadvantages and advantages, you can make an informed decision as to whether the thought leader path is a suitable option for you, here are 5 steps you can follow to get closer to becoming a thought leader in your field:
1. Enhance your public speaking skills:
The greatest thought leaders are also good presenters, they can communicate well, and they give speeches regularly to share their knowledge with other people, so if you want to become a thought leader, honing your public speaking skills is a good place to start.
Enhance your speaking skills, by strengthening your self-confidence, and if you don’t feel like a self-confident speaker, try to use visual means to help you express your point of view, speak in front of a trusted audience first, avoid filler words such as: “if”, “umm” or “yes”.
It is also important to improve your presence on the platform, attract the attention of your audience through a question or a joke, use the entire platform, walk around to be able to talk to different groups of the audience, and your visual media and dress will also make an impact in improving your presence.
In the end, the best way to improve your speaking skills is to practice; so perform as many shows as possible, and talk to different groups of audiences in different places, the more you talk, the more you become a better speaker.
2. Writing a book:
If you have a lot to say on a particular topic, and you know what you are talking about, write down your thoughts and share them with the world, publishing a book requires painstaking effort, but it is a very helpful step to become a respected thought leader.
The first step to publishing a book is to write it; so think about a topic that you are passionate about, and your knowledge of it is very good, then outline and start writing, you can find electronic resources to guide you if you need to.
Once your manuscript is ready, you will find yourself in front of two options for publishing: traditional publishing, or self-publishing, there are pros and cons for both options, traditional publishing is more difficult to access, but once you arrive you will find someone who accomplishes many tasks for you.
On the other hand, while anyone can publish a self-published book, you’ll need to work harder to market your business, and whichever method works best for you, publishing a book is a great way to become a thought leader.
3. Publish qualitative content:
Posting content on a platform, such as a blog, a YouTube channel, or a podcast, is a great way to elevate yourself, and when you post content in a particular field, it indicates that you are an expert in a particular field, and helps you reach and talk to a certain group of people.
When you publish content, it’s important to make sure that you have a goal behind it, and it should be an important goal, and it indicates that you are a professional and people can put their trust in it.
Your content should be published everywhere electronically, on your site, your social media platforms, and any other channels you can think of, create long content, such as a blog article, then cut out parts of it, and reuse them as snippets for platforms where short content is published.
4. Creating a network of relationships:
Participating in events that offer opportunities to expand your network can enhance your thought leadership career, and whether you attend networking events in person or online, it’s an excellent way to connect with people who may be able to benefit from your thought leadership skills in the future.
Mastermind groups are another good tip when we talk about” how to become a thought leader”. masterminds consist of a group of people who gather in one place, meet to learn from each other, and help develop each other. these groups are a great way to gain responsibility, exchange ideas among peers, and an opportunity for continuous learning, all of which will be an assistant on your way to becoming a thought leader.
5. Communication with journalists:
Publish your name by communicating with journalists, and offer them to add your expertise to the stories they cover, for example, you can register on a platform like “HARO” (HARO) or “help a Reporter out” (help a Reporter Out), coordinating these platforms between experts and reporters or writers who are looking for quotes.
You can also communicate with reporters, journalists or magazines individually, send them emails, ask them if they need additional source, being cited as an expert is a great way to be seen as a thought leader.
In conclusion:
How to become a thought leader?
You don’t become a thought leader overnight, but if you strengthen your presence on social media, post high-quality content, and seek to conduct lectures to share your innovative ideas, more people will start taking notes from your presence in the field, and eventually, you will qualify as a thought leader, ready to enter the business world from its widest doors.