Struggling to get your team on board with unconventional methods in Thought Leadership?

People often resist new things because they're afraid of the unknown. Acknowledge their concerns and create a safe space to explore together. Instead of dictating change, get your team involved. Talk openly about the benefits and challenges of the new methods.

Show them why it's good: New methods can help us reach more people and be seen as cooler thought leaders. It'll help us stand out from the crowd if everyone's doing the same old stuff. Address their worries: Trying new things can be scary, but it's a chance to learn together as a team. Imagine how good it'll feel if these new ideas are a big success! Get everyone involved: Let's brainstorm together! Everyone can share their ideas and concerns. Maybe we can try one new method at first, like a test run. Less pressure! Lead by example: Be excited about these new ideas! Your enthusiasm will rub off on others. Listen to your team's feedback as we try new things and adjust if needed.

I was a speechwriter at NCR in 1993 - as a contractor as Jerre Stead took the helm - and he worked with drive and energy to bring change to an international business with tens of thousands of employees. Jerre did this by exhaustive communication at all levels to establish a culture of CUSTOMER-LED enthusiasm. By educating people on the intelligence of this culture, he introduced positive change - and after leaving NCR, Jerre went on to orchestrate customer focus at other large companies. He is a legend!

1 - Addressing Discomfort with Change 1.1) Acknowledge the discomfort. 1.2) Provide a supportive environment. 1.3) Involve your team in the process. 2 - Encouraging Open Dialogue 2.1) Discuss benefits and challenges. 2.2) Reduce fear through communication. 2.3) Build a collective vision. 3 - Creating a Safe Space 3.1) Encourage exploration of new ideas. 3.2) Avoid imposing changes. 3.3) Foster team investment in the vision.

Change is indeed difficult for all of us, not only a selected group of people. It stems from the fact that our brain would like to function with the absolute minimum of energy usage. That is why we form habits and that is also why it is so difficult to change them. In most companies the two principles prevail that stand in the way of change & progress. The first one is „We have always done it this way“, the second one is „We have never done it this way“. Getting your team to trust in change you have to be willing to 1. Lead by example 2. Take suggestions of your team - often they also want change 3. Demonstrate the courage to reverse a change if it did not work 4. Be persistent, even when 20 percent are against it. 5. Remain transparent

The biggest challenge in confronting fear of change is understanding that it’s rooted in fear of the unknown and departure from comfort. It is common to most humans. By creating an environment where calculated risks can be taken without fear of failure, a leader can reduce a great deal of resistance to change. Empowering associates to boldly try new ideas will always reduce fear of change! If people feel they are part of something new and important they will feel less that change is being forced upon them.

A major concern with change is that people will face negative repercussions if they do something that doesn't work. To effectively embrace change, your organization has to be willing to also embrace failure. At review time, it can be extremely useful to highlight the times that employees tried things that didn't work and reward those "failed" experiments. It's scary when running a business, but if you're looking for exponential growth, then there's gonna be plenty of wrong turns and you want employees to feel comfortable taking reasonable risks.

New ideas can raise eyebrows. When your team has concerns, listen closely! Address their worries head-on with clear explanations. Show them how these methods will make things better, maybe with examples or real-life stories.

New = Scary? Not always! Frame it as a learning adventure for the team, a chance to grow together. Focus on the Upside! Talk about the potential rewards of success - reaching new audiences and becoming thought leaders in a fresh way. Small Steps, Big Wins! Suggest a pilot program for a new method. This lets them experiment without feeling overwhelmed.

1 - Addressing Concerns Directly 1.1) Identify and address concerns. 1.2) Provide clear, logical explanations. 1.3) Show practical benefits. 2 - Using Examples and Case Scenarios 2.1) Provide successful examples. 2.2) Highlight relevant case scenarios. 2.3) Build confidence with evidence. 3 - Building Confidence in the Vision 3.1) Confront doubts directly. 3.2) Provide logical justifications. 3.3) Ensure team understands the benefits.

New methods shine brightest with collaboration. Build teams that mix people from different areas - their unique strengths will create a powerful brainstorming force. This teamwork makes everyone feel heard and valued, turning them into champions for these fresh ideas.

Brainstorm Together! Unleash everyone's ideas (and worries) in a group session. We're In This Together! Turn "unconventional" into "team challenge." You'll figure it out together. Pilot Power! Test a new method as a team. Less pressure, more learning - win-win!

Collaboration is key!! But not only amongst different functions within a company. It is also critical to have networks of collaboration outside the company, an Eco-system of collaborators. We … 1. Create a better understanding for each other and what it is everyone contributes on a daily basis to the overall success 2. Become more innovative through a mix of interest and contributions (open innovation) We can also set our strategy this way, by including more people and functions from within the company mixed with external experts and managers. Open Approach strategies are more realistic and more successful. The inventor of Open Strategy is Prof. Dr. von den Eichen, his book “Open Strategy” is highly recommended.

1 - Encouraging Collaboration 1.1) Promote teamwork. 1.2) Encourage diverse perspectives. 1.3) Utilize cross-functional teams. 2 - Fostering Innovation 2.1) Drive innovative solutions. 2.2) Encourage creativity. 2.3) Value each contribution. 3 - Creating Ownership and Support 3.1) Foster a sense of ownership. 3.2) Utilize team expertise. 3.3) Encourage championing of new methods.

Fostering collaboration is highly challenging. People work and think in silos. Hence, a collaborative approach is effective when “what’s in it for me” is clear at both ends. To build cross vertical collaborations one has to only showcase the win win situation and once that is impactful, you are able to collaborate successfully. Recognition plays its role when the reward is clear. Further, collaboration open doors for innovation and encourages sustainability of working together with enhanced opportunities. Let’s be clear on”what’s in it for me” at both sides. You are on it!!

I do the following things to lead by example. 1) Be a team player: Work alongside your team and be willing to do tasks you expect from them.🤜✊ 2) Follow the rules: Demonstrate that you follow the rules you expect others to follow. 3) Be trustworthy: Follow through on promises and be accountable.🤝 4) Be positive: Come to work with energy and enthusiasm. 5) Be a good learner: Share experiences, take classes, and acknowledge and learn from mistakes.👌 6) Be open to feedback: Encourage feedback from your team and listen to others.🗣️

If you want your team to embrace new methods, be a role model! Try them out yourself and show how effective they can be. Share your wins and learning experiences openly. This honesty shows it's okay to experiment, and when they see you succeeding, they'll be more likely to jump on board.

Show, Don't Tell: Get your hands dirty with a new method. Your enthusiasm will be contagious. Open Feedback Loop: Welcome team input as you experiment. Show you're all in this together. Lead by example, and your team will be more likely to embrace unconventional Thought Leadership!

In my opinion thought leaders should inspire their team to embrace unconventional methods by leading through example. Thought leaders should Integrate these methods into their own work, share successes and challenges openly to demystify the process, and show that risk-taking is enabled.

Being first in the pool encourages the team to swim and enjoy swimming. leading by example and living it with them is how leaders gain advocates.

It can be challenging to provide needed resources where costs are always an issue. We find the best way is to tap our existing resources by opening up collaboration! Often the answers are available but folks feel limited as to where they can go to get answers and inspiration. I believe they can and should come from everywhere. But we have to provide forums to listen. I conduct round tables with line employees regularly and invite our branch employees to our corporate offices quarterly to listen and interact. Leadership has to promote collaboration to open unseen and under utilized resources. It also helps others build their careers.

Fuel Their Curiosity: Share resources explaining unconventional methods and their benefits. Empower Experimentation: Provide examples of successful campaigns using these methods. Get your team informed and inspired to embrace unconventional Thought Leadership!

New approaches might require new skills. Don't worry, provide the resources they need to succeed. This could be training sessions, workshops, or even articles and online courses. Investing in their knowledge shows you care and helps them become comfortable using these new methods.

Providing resources means empowering our team with the tools and support they need. In this dynamic competitive scenario, this can help them accept and use unconventional methods. New methods often need new skills or knowledge, so offering training, materials, or guidance is important. When our team has the right resources, they feel more confident and capable. This support makes it easier for them to try and excel with new approaches

The effective ways in which a team embraces new skills and methods with ease is by “put to use” functionality. Having shared details and information about the subject matter, a team quiz together in a session followed by prizes enhances participation and clears doubts. Once, the method to be adopted is induced in operations and is implicated for all, it becomes a practice. For some it’s learning by doing, for others it’s about fostering others and for most it’s methods as usual. All together, methodologies needs to be well informed, educated and implicated. The success factor of embracing it goes high as we adopt to adapt.

When your team hits a goal using these new methods, make a big deal about it! Recognition is a gold medal for their hard work.

Celebrating the small wins and the people making wins happen is critical for morale and team spirit. People need recognition to prosper, it goes hand in hand with feedback. We cannot only correct behaviours and steer people along. People need to feel seen and valued.

Celebrating Success, YES, very critical for motivation, feeling valued, having this feeling of belonging. In particular leaders need to celebrate their teams. It empowers them, gives them a stage to shine. Recognition works very different in different cultures and ranges from a high five culture, with support and admiration for each other all the way to where only in times of failure you will be addressed, not in times of success. Celebrating brings us together in society, at a football match, a birthday party, an anniversary, why not also within a company!! Celebrating together is the glue of a team. As leaders we have to be very clear about that. No glue, no coherence, no team, no success. So, celebrate, small and big.

Celebrating small wins can help motivate teams, strengthen morale, and boost engagement. It can also create a sense of accomplishment and encourage collaboration. Here are some ways to celebrate small successes: ⭐️Public recognition: Share success stories on social media, in the company newsletter, or through email. You can also create a dedicated channel to highlight achievements. ⭐️Peer recognition: Encourage team members to give feedback and recognize each other's work. ⭐️Team lunches: Take your team out for lunch or order their favorite food. ⭐️Virtual celebrations: For remote workers, you can host virtual parties or escape rooms. ⭐️Company-wide announcements: Make an announcement to acknowledge the team's efforts.

It is not always easy to measure the efficacy of thought leadership when it comes to direct impact on corporate reputation, but there are tools a plenty that can help guide. Data will show results thus getting more people to trust that thought leadership should be an authentic way for stakeholders to believe, trust and lean in more.

Getting the right team on board also includes to change a few team members. New team members will add new perspectives, new experience from a different path of life. It is an important mix of established team members and “outsiders”. These “outsiders” can be industry experienced or fresh from school. The right team has also a great deal of diversity, by age, gender or nationality. Yes, YOU have to form such teams, they do not happen over night, and that is the type work that can be expected from YOU as their leader. But once you have reached that point YOUR team will pay it back big time. So, creating the right team is your first and foremost job as a leader. Don’t be the expert in everything, just in forming good teams.