What are the most effective ways to stay motivated and inspired in your thought leadership journey?

The most important opinion to uphold in your thought leadership journey is your own. Stay true to your authentic voice, values, and unique perspective. While external feedback is valuable, maintaining authenticity and staying true to your vision will set you apart and sustain your motivation and impact over time.

Good measurement. Ironically, a lot of thought leadership after a while starts lacking any real thought, and that's where it starts to get stagnant and ultimately lose value. Having a "North Star" that everyone is aligned on is a good starting point, but staying motivated to sustain and grow thought leadership is about consistently measuring impact. The more you measure how your story is resonating, who shares or opposes your perspective and why, and how its shaping your reputation for being a thought leader on a specific subject, the more opportunities you will see to adapt and refine your thought leadership over the years.

You might think that thought leadership is static because of the expertise, but that’s not at all the case. Even in the past few years, I’ve pivoted several times because of what I learned from customers and changes in the external environment. What is important is to use your acquired knowledge in a way that’s relevant. And to do so, you have to constantly ask yourself if your contribution is still valid.

What I like about being a AI thought leader and presenting on the global stage is it forces me to stay alert and make sense of the highly dynamic and immense amount of information. I am highly driven by the desire to make AI safe and possible to improve human lives and the only way its possible is if we recognize the ways it can be risky and anticipate it, remediate it.

Learn from your experiences and feedback from your seniors. Impart the same knowledge to your team sincerely. Inculcate a self-praise attitude within yourself as not all days are showered with compliments – that’s the best way to motivate oneself. Lastly, just be true to yourself, listen to everyone, but apply only those pointers that help your professional journey.

In order to achieve success, it is crucial to set measurable goals instead of vague wishes. By clearly defining your goals and determining key performance indicators (KPIs) for success, you will greatly enhance your chances of success. This approach also allows you to break down your long-term objectives into smaller, achievable wins, and adjust your long-term strategy based on gained experience.

Make sure you always test your goals against your highest priority personal values. Goals that are not backed by our high priority values are not goals they are wishes.

The when you want to achieve the goals is an important question that leads to others. Is your timeline realistic and significant? If you give yourself too much time to achieve the goal, then perhaps you're depending on things just falling into place without really advancing a concrete plan. On the other hand, if you aim for a major milestone to be attained in just six months, you may be setting yourself up for failure. Accordingly, it's essential to not just pick arbitrary dates but do research to find out how long it should take to reach the definitive milestones of your goal.

Truthfully I am unconvinced that SMART goals apply to developing thought leadership. I agree with Michael Henderson about the centrality of connection to personal values for anything we set out to do. Anything we think (say) we value which we do not taken action to realise is a whim. Surely in the land of thought leadership, if we need an acronym, it's more about clarity concerning the Significance of what we say, the Meaning of what we say, the Applicability of what we say, Relevance (we can keep this one) and the Truth of what we have to say. Without those characteristics we risk what we think we are saying being muddled, not helpful, and received as shallow/self serving. Personal values as the scaffolding for our contributions help alot!

The goals are crucial to keep motivating yourself in your journey as a thought leader. Even more important is setting unique goals to avoid being lost in the crowd, but create a personal brand. And mentoring others to become thought leaders on their own should be an important goal to be a 'true leader' among thought leaders.

Feedback serves as a constant driving force - positive feedback reinforcing & negative feedback, a constructive corrective force towards achieving one's goals. Just like it is important to learn how to give feedback, it is also important to learn how to solicit & receive feedback (even unsolicited) & use it constructively. Importance given to feedback received depends on many parameters like * relevance of the person giving the feedback * relevace of the feedback to the person receiving it * timing of the feedback - too early/late are equally useless * means of giving / receiving the feedback While one may dismiss some of the feedback after carefully evaluating it, never should any feedback be ignored without a careful consideration.

To follow up on what Anita wrote: you don't gain anything from yes men other than a stroke to your ego when they applaud everything you say. Having someone challenge your assumptions and question your approach from a position of knowledge and a desire to help is much more helpful for someone who genuinely wants to find the best way forward. If you will allow me a Shakespearean reference, King Lear's error was listening to those who flattered him and ignoring those who spoke the truth instead of agreeing with him when he first proposed his idea to determine which of his daughters loves him best and to abdicate his power of rulership.

Receiving feedback whether it is positive, negative or critical—will give you a true sense of your journey. It is an important part of leadership development as you can course correct or know if you’re on the right path in your decision making process. Often, novel concepts arise from feedback which otherwise may have been overlooked. I would think---effectively using feedback is a crucial skill for any leader..

Feedback is important, but who gives the feedback is even more important. Some of it is quite generic and it’s nice to hear your audience enjoyed what you have to say. I actually learn a lot from people who disagree with me. That does not mean I adapt to everything I hear. But when disagreements lead to follow up questions, that helps. My advice: when people give you unexpected feedback, reach out and ask them why. You will be better for it.

Feedback is a gift. Seek is often for yourself, for your teams and make sure you seek for constructive feedback. Once you get the feedback YOU determine if there is an ongoing trend and then work on it. Don’t get caught up in feedback that comes from an emotional place. Trust yourself through this process. Not every piece of feedback is either relevant or worth pondering. Look for broad trends and then work on it as you build your thought leadership.

A great thought leadership plan is never built or executed in isolation. Find your tribe and take an outside-in perspective: ?? Expose yourself to other viewpoints and external trends. Read the news and listen to a new podcast. Connect with people from different backgrounds, outside of your familiar bubble. ?? Collaborate. Work together with colleagues and across teams. Set up cross-disciplinary programs and workstreams. ?? Volunteer. Rally with fellow leaders in your industry and community around a shared cause, or become a mentor. ?? Develop thought leadership content that can be used and amplified across a variety of stakeholders, teams and platforms.

It takes a village as the saying goes. Surround yourself with smartest minds who can challenge your thoughts when appropriate, amplify and expand to make you better. Be ready to face your critics, seek their feedback, and embrace different perspectives to continue to evolve your thought leadership. There is no right or wrong, it's a matter of opinions, and they become right with supportive data points.

Find your tribe big make sure your tribe also consisted of both allies and those who question you or your motivations? Often time we learnt the most from tough and difficult situations and dealing with naysayers. I am saying this from experience. My toughest critics are the one who have allowed me to often become the best version of myself. And make sure your tribe doesn’t look like you. You never know who might relate or enjoy hearing from you. The best impact is the one we never see take place. For me it’s very important to have my tribe include strong women leaders who always lead by example, extend their hand and support for other women and have my back.

One thing I find particularly valuable is to read books about the topic I am writing about. Reading a book, quietly and uniterrupted. And then afterwards write down my thoughts on what the book taught me.

My tribe consists of diverse individuals who share common values, vision, and purpose. This network includes supporters, collaborators, and influencers from various backgrounds and industries. I actively seek connections with my ideal audience, drawing inspiration from role models, and aligning with allies who contribute to the growth of my thought leadership. This network provides encouragement, guidance, and exposure, enabling me to expand my reach, diversify my content, and amplify my voice within the community.

It is safe to say that to write well or speak well, one must read well. As one reads quality content and superior authors, one appreciates various perspectives while slowly building his or her own, thereby building depth in the subject. This ability to distill information overload as a discerning reader, paves the way for achieving "thought clarity" first, followed by "thought leadership" over time. Exposure to various cultures, perspectives and leaders along the journey can make this very enriching. Creativity can be enhanced by various practices including NLP-based techniques, meditation, music and Yoga; one needs to discover what works, for each person, as motivation and inspiration.

I make it a habit to experience something new, weird, different and completely outside my comfort zone each week. I actively and intentionally schedule it. I have the benefit of living in New York City, where "weird" could meet me on my way to the subway. Or in it. Let me give you an example. Last week, I visited the Balloon Museum at 4:30pm on a Wednesday. It was a study in inflatable art from Italy. Sinking head deep into the ball pit, reconnected me with my inner kid, a connection that is easily lost in the seriousness of the day to day. I'm already serious. I wrote about it. I created a reel on my Instagram about it. But most importantly, I role modeled it for other women who might have lost touch with their inner kid too.

Seeking to understand inspires empathy, which widens your creative lens. An open and curious mind reveals insights that fuel original thinking. Lead not by judging but uplifting others - a ripple effect of inspiration. Read voraciously, write daily, brainstorm often. Immerse yourself in arts, culture, nature as muses. Experiment with styles and mediums without self-judgment. Collaborate to meld diverse perspectives. Make time for wandering, wondering, dreaming. Capture ideas and inspiration when they strike. Trust creative playfulness, follow where it leads.

Embrace diverse perspectives and experiences. Various exposure to diverse viewpoints, cultures, and experiences can significantly enrich your creativity. Engaging with people from different backgrounds, industries, or disciplines can offer fresh insights and stimulate innovative thinking. Actively seek out diverse perspectives through networking, attending conferences, joining online forums or discussion groups, and collaborating with individuals from varied fields. By embracing diversity, you open yourself up to new ideas and approaches, fueling your creativity as a thought leader.

I nurture my creativity by engaging in diverse practices, including reading, writing, brainstorming, and experimenting. My unique way of expressing thought leadership is influenced by factors such as my environment, mood, mindset, and habits. I find inspiration in what challenges and excites me, ensuring that my creativity remains a driving force in making me stand out, sparking curiosity, and generating value within the realm of thought leadership.

There is always a next article or a next keynote. Sometimes it’s hard to be in the moment and enjoy it. But make time to listen and celebrate success. Stay modest, but don’t be too shy to share your accomplishments. If you win an award, that’s a token of recognition and should be celebrated.

What are the most effective ways to stay motivated and inspired in your thought leadership journey? To stay motivated and inspired in your thought leadership journey, connect deeply with your purpose, aligning your actions with what truly matters to you. Cultivate a supportive community, drawing strength from shared experiences and diverse perspectives. Embrace continuous learning, allowing curiosity to fuel growth and innovation. Practice self-care, nurturing your mind, body, and spirit to sustain your passion and energy. Celebrate milestones and acknowledge setbacks with compassion, recognizing they are part of the journey toward meaningful impact.??

Thought leadership is not another buzz word that people use in order to push colleagues and subordinates to improve their professional capacity. In fact, very seldom people realize how much work and how many hours of study, practice and experience gathering is put in place. To appreciate its real value, we need to realize how many real thought leaders exist in every field. Truth be told, not many, or at least not as many as they claim; but i get why everyone wants to be acknowledged as a thought leader. When you go way beyond your comfort zone, when you have taken so many risks towards becoming unique in your field, when you have brought real innovation on the table in order to be the one, only then you can be called “thought leader”.

"Motivated and inspired" is usually another way of saying "stimulated." To stay stimulated as a thought leader, you need to keep exposing yourself to new things. New experiences. New books. If you do the same things every day, your brain will go on autopilot, which is pretty much the opposite of what you want as a thought leader.

? Be intentionally ignorant! Ask better questions. ? Explore the contrarian’s perspective. Know why your way is better. ? Develop others. A new school of thought emerges in each generation.

To believe that this journey lasts for ever and it is trully very long with many challenges. The journey stops when you are ready to discover your "own thaca".