What are the most effective ways to measure your progress as a Thought Leader?

Engagement Metrics: Track likes, shares, comments & retweets across platforms like LinkedIn etc📈 Content Reach: Monitor views, downloads & subscriptions to your blogs, podcasts or videos🌐 Speaking Engagements: Count invitations to speak at events, webinars & conferences🎤 Media Mentions: Measure appearances or quotes in industry publications or news outlets🗞️ Thought Impact: Assess feedback, testimonials & influence on audience perspectives🤔 Network Growth: Evaluate follower count & connections across relevant platforms📲 Collaborations: Track partnerships & collaborations with other thought leaders🤝 Conversions: Measure how your insights lead to actions or conversions in your field💡 #ThoughtLeadership #Metrics #ProgressTracking📊

You are a true thought leader when you coin an expression or movement that catches on and spreads widely. You can do this if you know the right people (influential multipliers) and keep repeating your message.

To gauge your growth as a Thought Leader, you must first articulate what success signifies to you. This could involve defining specific goals. For instance, you may aim to influence a particular audience, such as young entrepreneurs or seasoned professionals in your field. Alternatively, you may strive to trigger advancements in your field by introducing innovative ideas or challenging existing norms. Having a clear vision of your goals - whether it's to increase followers, receive invitations for keynote speeches, or see your theories adopted in real-world practices - will provide a roadmap for your journey as a Thought Leader.

Numbers are not the only measure and it is foolish to measure success by reactions, views, and reposts only as many do these days. One of my viral posts was a shout out with 140,000 impressions and over 200 reactions, and nothing happened. Nothing changed. My least popular post was about my topic, 5 people reacted and 3 reached out to me for a discussion or work. Number of profile views are a great indication of success, but so are direct messages, bookings, speaking engagements, etc. If you get to do more of what you love. That is your true success.

Next, it's crucial to select metrics that correspond with your defined objectives. For instance, if your goal is to widen the reach of your content, you might track metrics such as page views, shares, likes, or the number of new followers. If you're looking to garner feedback from your audience, you could measure the number of comments, direct messages, or emails you receive, or even conduct surveys to gain more detailed feedback. If your objective is to inspire advancements in your field, you may track how often your work is cited by others, or monitor for new projects or initiatives that cite your work as inspiration.

Views, downloads, shares, comments: These show reach and resonance. Are people actively consuming your content and interacting with it? Time spent on articles, video completion rates: Deeper engagement indicates valuable insights and a captive audience. Quality of comments and questions: Are people sparking meaningful discussions around your ideas?

Use tools and platforms to monitor metrics. Social media analytics provide data on user engagement. Google Analytics offers insights into website interactions. Advanced tools like HubSpot or SEMrush provide comprehensive insights into audience behavior and content performance, helping understand brand visibility and reputation. Regular data review helps track engagement and goal progression.

Also Review - What people are reaching out for and what they are responding to? What structures of posting and sharing is working? What isn't? How are people responding to you? Are they seeking your input IRL? Then you know if your topic is the one that resonates.

Becoming a Thought Leader requires regular self-assessment and strategy adjustment. This involves frequent reviews focusing on both successes and areas for improvement. Embrace learning opportunities and be open to trying new ideas. Remember, all experiences offer valuable insights for growth. The journey to Thought Leadership is a continuous cycle of planning, implementing, reviewing, learning, and adjusting.

As the year ends, I've been reflecting on my journey as a thought leader. Reviewing my past work I've had a unique experience, one that could benefit you as a thought leader. I re-listened to a podcast from 13 years ago, where I discussed my books, training, and consulting on networking at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. This quieter period between Christmas and New Year's offered me a chance to compare my real successes "then" and "now." This rare extra time also helped me gather many useful insights from old talks I gave. I gained so many "AHaH moments. that I encourage you to take time for similar "walks through your past successes."

As a Thought Leader, it's crucial to evaluate your influence. Are your insights sparking fresh perspectives, prompting action, or initiating debates? Are industry practices changing because of your theories? Are individuals reporting your influence on their decisions? These signs indicate your ideas are causing real change, a key measure of success as a Thought Leader.

Employee engagement and morale: Are your ideas influencing your organization's culture and direction? Improved decision-making and problem-solving: Are your insights leading to tangible benefits for your company? Contribution to innovation and growth: Are you driving progress and shaping the future of your industry?