You're aiming to establish yourself as a thought leader. What innovative strategies should you adopt?

I, normally, write, in the form of conversation. To explain, a complex topic in technology, in those conversations, I talk with my friend, Sai. Sai, keep on asking me questions, which any other person, would have asked related to topic. I try to clarify his doubts,in that conversation. As much as possible, Sai, will ask basic questions to advance questions. Readers of my post have loved that. They get answer of questions, which seems basic, but no one would have clarified. Some examples of those conversational post are 'Difference between CBDC & UPI', 'Whether hallucination is a feature or problem in GEN AI' Like that,one needs to develop his/her own style. Key is to remain authentic & ready to take criticism, when you are wrong.

Actually, I find it more important to shape your voice towards the audience. Yes, you need something that sets you apart: a unique vision, a unique way of looking at things. But connecting with an audience is completely different from connecting with an audience while on stage. On stage you can be a bit more creative and edgy, depending on how the audience responds. It’s much harder to joke in writing. So, I would focus on a unique train of thought, and then base your tone of voice on the medium. You can actually have some fun playing around with it and adopt slightly different voices.

As thought leaders, you are not here to share just information or news. One can always get that from internet. You need to offer your perspective & insights. Now with technology & internet, everyone knows, 'WHAT' has happened. Your value add comes by explaining, 'How' that has happened & 'WHY' that has happened. Don't be afraid to take contra view. Don't make any personal attack but offer your views in the way 'If I had faced this type of situation, I would have taken these steps'. Don't provoke but inspire to think differently. If needed, provide examples. Its a journey. By contributing & sharing your insights on a regular basis, you will earn the trust of your audience. All this will help your authority as thought leader.

Find your niche! Don’t be that blockchain turned into metaverse turned into AI expert who jumps on every trend. Add something worthwhile that people will remember, on a topic that you go deep on. That’s how you add value. You spend the time and do the work. And then you can share your unique perspective and I’m pretty sure people will want to hear it.

Don't just talk, engage, Create spaces for people to connect and discuss your ideas. Listen to their feedback and show you value their input. This builds trust and makes your community feel like they're part of something bigger.

Technology, especially Generative AI, has now made it very easy to create infographics & videos. You should be clear on the message & thoughts, which you want to convey. As they say, 'a picture is worth thousand word'. Now with technology, you can convey your message in various formats ( story telling,audio or video podcast, or combinations of all these). With technology, you can create powerful videos. You can narrate a story in various languages. All this will help you in reaching wider audience & engaging with your contents & thoughts. A creative visual image or a video creates a lasting impression on your audience. All these will help in validating your credential as a thought leader.

As a Leader and a successful one, You must continue to evolve in your knowledge through learning more. Having two degrees, I still take classes and courses. Even though I have been in leadership positions in the military and civilian sectors. Plus, one must keep an open mind about the world of business around them to keep up, to not fall behind and as the saying goes, “Get stuck in a rut.” Additionally, as technology evolves, we who created it, should evolve as well.

"Thought leader" is neither a role, title or award. If people come to you to discuss about issues, if they read & engage with your thoughts/ideas, than it means you are thought leadership journey. You need to have a passion to be curious, to learn about new things related to your niche or industry. It also means, that you should be looking forward to attend conferences, engaging with other leaders and discuss your ideas. You need to follow "value exchange" routine. Either you are adding value or gaining value ( or both). Here, you should be ready to keep on testing basic assumptions, ready to get questioned as well as ready to learn as a beginner. Be humble to listen other person's view & ready to learn..always.

Seek out other thought leaders in your industry with an established audience, such as YouTube or podcast followers. From there, reach out to see if they would be open to a meet-and-greet so you can ask them questions about how they got started and their recommendations. In return, offer to be a guest or help with editing/providing a quote for an upcoming publication.