How can you use Thought Leadership to influence your workplace?

A former leader of ours would treat internal campaigns just as he would with external. Our Programs would have catchy names, and we'd create interesting videos and events to create awareness and visibility. To be a thought leader, forget the stock images/illustrations, and step in front of the camera.

Defining your niche is important, however you may have several niches that you can become a thought leader in. Do you volunteer? Do you have other experiences not just from your current role? Does your experience lend itself to being able to provide thought leadership across multiple functional areas. Examples of identifying your niches: I am a Veteran - veteran transitions and mentorship I am a IT Leader - IT topics I am a Leader in Staffing - Staffing topics I am a volunteer - Non profit operations and outreach By understanding these are some of my niches I can now choose one area to focus on, or make all these part of my overall thought leader initiatives.

Creating valuable content can also look like hosting a lunch n learn or training, facilitating an affinity group or book club, or sharing helpful tools and resources. Sharing content doesn’t always have to be unique. You are the expert, so likely have a lot of content already that you can package and share in relevant ways for your audience.

Creating valuable content can be as simple as writing posts and articles and creating video content to share on LinkedIn. Leverage personal experiences and lessons learned to differentiate yourself. Ensure you create a unique POV by being authentic. In my experience, many individuals are afraid to be authentic, but being authentic makes you stand out. The world needs your unique perspective and POV. Putting yourself out there will help team members better understand who you are and inspire them to be their authentic selves.

Sharing your insights may feel challenging at you start posting and delivering your content. One of the things to remember is not every piece of content will resonate with your intended audience and that is ok. You will find as you continue to create and engage, what your audience responds to, which will help you make more valuable content. Do not get too wrapped up in making perfect content at first, the best thing is try it out, you have an idea, try it, see how it does and then build from there.

Promote cross-pollination: •Share other thought leaders' content alongside your own. This demonstrates depth of knowledge and positions you as a well-connected resource. •Collaborate with others: Work with peers across the organization on joint webinars, articles, or projects can significantly boost your visibility and impact.

The best way to engage your audience is to create meaningful dialogue. Try hosting 30-minute fireside chats (in person or virtual) where you share an experience you had with a client, a challenge you solved with a co-worker, or problem you solved for your customer. Maybe go as far as to use the stage to solve a problem WITH your audience, by using them to provide their input, feedback, and solutions. The best thought leaders don't have all the answers; instead, they engage their audience to create meaningful conversations, find creative solutions and brainstorm new ideas together.

In order to effectively engage your audience one requires to develop a great sense of maturity. In most cases audience engagement can go so wrong when as a thought leader you are not open minded. Displaying this skill results in great respect and establishing credibility with your peers. Nobody wants to be engaged by a person who is always right and doesn't encourage others to share their perspectives.

Demonstrate your thought leadership by being the first to adopt new practices or approaches. Show how these can be beneficial in real-world scenarios within your organization. This could be through adopting new technologies, methodologies, or even behavioral changes. Extend your influence beyond your immediate team. Work with other departments to share insights and learn from them, fostering an interdisciplinary approach to problem-solving. Lastly, regularly seek feedback on your ideas and approaches. This not only helps in improving your thought leadership content but also keeps it relevant and practical.

Internal thought leadership from executive management can have a fantastic impact on company culture. It helps create internal alignment as well as a shared sense of mission. Most people like participating in building a better world. Thought leadership maintains focus on what kind of better a company is delivering. Having multiple internal thought leaders reinforces the sense of being on a mission.

By sharing content that promotes purpose, empathy, compassion, resilience, and other necessary traits, you are empowering your workforce to embody those traits. You are also demonstrating effective leadership and being influential, which will promote more respect among teammates.

Developing thought leadership in your workplace as an leader or manager is huge in motivating and inspiring teams. It helps give employees a sense of purpose to anchor to, it gives them the permission to bring their purpose and passion into the work that they do, and it creates a sense of curiosity and collaboration. A leader who shares their knowledge, asks questions and listens, becomes an active participant in team dynamics, not just an authoritative figure.

In my experience, effective thought leadership in the workplace is all about clearly expressing your ideas and strategically planning regular communication with your audience. When your narrative is compelling, it builds trust and positions you as a significant influencer among your colleagues. This approach transforms your expertise into a story that resonates with others, enhancing your personal brand. It also enriches your team's collective knowledge, fostering a more collaborative and efficient work environment.