Your team is struggling to establish itself as a thought leader. What are you doing to help?

???? Leading the Circus of Thought! ???? Hey there, circus crew! Struggling to establish yourselves as thought leaders? Fear not, for I've got just the trick up my sleeve! First things first: Identify your niche like a lion tamer pinpointing their prey! ???? What's the problem you're solving? Who's your audience? How do you stand out from the crowd? By answering these questions, you'll carve out your spot under the big top of expertise! ????

Often our greatest strengths are our greatest weaknesses. It follows one of the tenets of Hermeticism, which is a Kemetic philosophy with scientifically valid concepts. Hence, understanding the polarity you juggle can alleviate some of the common pitfalls with specialization. Carl Jung discussed this concept with shadow work, that addresses the aspects of the self which one might be reticent to acknowledge. However, in order to have self actualization, it behooves one to not only accept these aspects of our self (and our ventures) but utilize them. Truly great people have a complete understanding of who they are and how to use even their flaws to their advantage.

As a Human Resources Director, I would support my team's thought leadership by: -Encouraging continuous learning through access to industry research and training. -Promoting knowledge sharing via internal seminars and a company blog. -Supporting personal branding by helping team members publish articles and speak at events. -Fostering collaboration through cross-functional teamwork. -Recognizing and rewarding contributions to thought leadership. -Providing resources and tools for research and analysis. -Creating a safe space for experimentation and innovation.

First, answer the questions: What are you going to be thought leaders of? What do you currently know about the subject? What other players consider themselves leaders in this field? Where are your subject strengths and weaknesses as though leaders in your selected field? What are the best media to show your knowledge?

???? Crafting the Greatest Show on Content! ???? Listen up, circus crew! It's time to turn up the spotlight on content creation—the cornerstone of thought leadership! But remember, not all content is created equal. ???? Your team must dazzle the audience with content that's not just informative, but engaging and actionable! ??? Showcase your team's expertise, yes, but also provide practical solutions and tips that leave the audience cheering for an encore! ???? And don't forget the variety! ???? From blogs to podcasts to social media spectacles, explore every avenue to captivate your audience and leave them wanting more! ????

Delivering valuable content needs to be actionable, relatable, and simple. Highlighting easy, Consider is unique about you, your skill set, your attributes and contributions as a leader. And practice, practice, and practice.

First things first. Get to know each other by opening up about your respective strengths and weaknesses, your fears and goals, dreams and beliefs, and share stories about yourself. Doing this not only helps the team bind better but it slows them to see where brainstorming on projects should start. Creativity requires relaxation and a connection to your instincts. No team that is tense and clashing personalities can succeed without extra work. Sometimes exercises to see the natural dominance hierarchy can alleviate some of this stress. It isn’t always who’s hired to be in charge who is the best leader. And this may need to change per project. However everyone needs to feel heard and valued so that ideas can flow freely.

Hey there, circus stars! ?? It's time to step off the stage and mingle with the crowd—because thought leadership is all about community engagement! But remember, it's not a solo act! ???? Your team must actively interact with your audience, peers, and influencers to build trust and credibility! ???? Invite feedback, questions, and comments on your content, and be quick to respond with grace and professionalism. ???? Don't just stop there—join online groups, forums, and events to share your wisdom and learn from others! ????? And let's not forget about collaboration! ???? Team up with other thought leaders for guest posts, co-hosting events, or even interviews! Together, we'll steal the show and leave the audience begging for more! ????

As an autistic person (“high functioning” Asperger’s) I can say that networking has never been comfortable for me. Neither has trying to fit within the narrow confines of social convention. So if you struggle with this as well I recommend taking baby steps, by finding outlets online and in the real world in which you can be authentic. Don’t go into anything looking to gain anything more than experience. You can focus on trying to make friends, learn about other’s lives in order to gain wisdom, and what things result in a favorable response and what doesn’t. Then you can graduate to more specialized events and outings. Just remember to be kind to yourself and don’t stress over how well you’re doing.

Most professional or industry organizations routinely send out a call for presentations or a call for speakers notice. Individuals and teams can establish themselves and enhance the collective "brand" by actively seeking out these opportunities. As a team, one or two can present on a given topic and the others can run breakout sessions or host round table discussions on the same or related topics.

Step right up, circus crew! ?? It's time to pull back the curtain and shine a spotlight on measuring your thought leadership impact! But wait—how do you know if you're hitting the mark? ???? Your team must track and evaluate their efforts to see if they're wowing the crowd! ???? Keep your eyes on the prize—metrics matter! ?? From views to conversions, every data point tells a story. ???? And let's not forget alignment! ???? Ensure your thought leadership goals are in sync with your business objectives—because success isn't just about applause, it's about making an impact! ???? So, fellow ringmasters of impact, let's roll up our sleeves, dive into the data, and turn every success into a standing ovation! ????

Step right up, circus scholars! ?? It's time to sharpen those skills and take your thought leadership to new heights! But remember, the learning never stops! ?? Your team must stay ahead of the curve by keeping up with the latest trends and best practices in their field. ?? Communication is key! ????? Ensure your team hones their presentation and storytelling skills to captivate the audience like never before! ???? And don't forget about feedback! ???? Encourage your team to seek guidance from mentors and take advantage of online courses and workshops! ???? Challenge accepted! ?? Encourage your team to push boundaries, explore new topics, and experiment with different formats to expand their influence far and wide! ??

Thought leadership is like any other form of leadership! If you are the leader and cannot articulate the purpose (goal/objective) the you are truly lost and aren’t a leader. So figure out where you want your team to go and figure out how each member of the team’s efforts need to synchronize with each of the other member’s. If there are gaps such that effort’s don’t synchronize then you must identify them quickly and make corrections to fill the gaps and get your “team” back on track.