When I first heard the term “thought leader” (and this is going back quite a few years now), I thought the person using it was making it up. I decided to do some digging on the origins of the phrase, and what I found out surprised me. The Wikipedia entry for the phrase tells the story this way:
“The Oxford English Dictionary gives as its first citation for the phrase an 1887 description of Henry Ward Beecher as ‘one of the great thought-leaders in America.’ The term had earlier (1876) been applied to Ralph Waldo Emerson, who was said to manifest ‘the wizard power of a thought-leader.’”
There I was, thinking that this was strictly an internet marketing term — something that some marketer thought sounded cool and ran with it — when it’s been around for a while. The concept has been around even longer.
That made it necessary to examine the phrase a little more and look at what it was about the people in the above examples that made them thought leaders. Beecher was an outspoken opponent of slavery, and his thoughts on the subject were novel and outside the mainstream for his time. Emerson, of course, was a famous poet, but he was also an academic and a staunch individualist who fronted the transcendentalist movement in the mid-1800s.
So, what do we glean from those two tiny snapshots? Thought leaders operate outside the mainstream with the goal of making their thoughts and ideas mainstream. Thought leaders rarely adhere to the status quo. They don’t parrot ideas they hear from other sources. Instead, they observe things. They listen. They come up with their own ideas and notions and present them in a way that compels, persuades, and educates.
So, when I think about how those concepts apply to developing good content, there are a number of things that come to mind. Before I started writing this piece, I did some brainstorming. The remainder of this post is the result of that brainstorming session. Now, I don’t pretend to be a thought leader myself, so please don’t look at what follows as a “how to” as much as a “how it appears.”
As you read the rest of this message, take note of some of the thought leaders you admire. Then, think about how each of these content strategies relates to how they present their content. If you spot any notable similarities that really resonate, consider putting them into practice when you produce content. How do thought leaders position themselves as such? By doing some or all of these things:
Producing Competent, Well-Written Content
Thought leaders present content that demonstrates good use and command of the written word. They also know when to call in the professionals. Most of them work with entire teams of content experts, professional writing services, and the like. What they don’t do is leave those people and entities to do their thinking for them. They present their own ideas while utilizing the skills of people who are better at articulating them, particularly in writing.
Producing Content That Educates
Thought leaders are typically more concerned with selling ideas than they are with selling stuff. However, they are usually very good at both. They never just drop an idea in front of people just to see what they’ll do with it. The thought leader’s approach is always purpose-driven and designed to move ideas forward. The only way to do that competently is through education. This is a huge part of what thought leaders do: spread their thoughts in a productive, positive way.
Always Being Objective in Your Content
One thing I’ve never seen a thought leader do is disparage other points of view, directly criticize other people’s thoughts or ideas, or step on other people’s intelligence in any kind of self-serving way. Beecher was an outspoken critic of slavery, but he presented his ideas with deference to the fact that some — many — of the people hearing them would disagree with him. Objectivity in content brings balance to the messaging. It is persuasive without trying to persuade. The clarity and quality of the messaging accomplish all that on their own.
Engaging with Other People and Their Content
Thought leaders don’t exist in a bubble. They interact with both their supporters and their detractors. Why? Because they know there is much to be learned and observed from both. Major thought leaders want to know the other guy’s point of view, and they want to know how many people agree and disagree with their positions. This is accomplished most readily by opening up and maintaining a dialog with people. In online marketing terms, that means being active on social media and giving credit to content that deserves it.
Handing Over the Mic When It’s Warranted
Thought leaders welcome guest bloggers and other content creators to “borrow” their success and grow their own audiences. Thought leaders are helpers. They want to see others stretch, grow, and succeed, usually with no thought of reward or personal gain. In content terms, that means curating good content and giving credit where it’s due. It also means welcoming other people to share their content under a brand that has the potential to elevate their reputations as well.
Always Looking for Ways to Improve
Thought leaders understand that people should never stop learning. They might even change their own positions on certain subjects if they are presented with points of view that invalidate their own. Once again, in marketing terms, that means being observant of changes in the market and realigning content and its messaging to meet the demand. That doesn’t mean they let the market become the influencer. It means that they are constantly looking for ways to continue influencing others by meeting them where they are and by maintaining an understanding of how those people think and behave.
If I had to settle on a final takeaway here it would be this: Be yourself in your content. Don’t be afraid or ashamed of ideas that aren’t mainstream if they’re designed to have a positive effect on people. Also, don’t force the issue. Thought leaders don’t just show up; that reputation grows over time. Some never develop any real notoriety within their own lifetimes, and that’s OK, too.
Last bit of advice: Take yourself out of the equation and ask yourself how your content influences other people’s behaviors and thought patterns. What good is it doing aside from making money for you? The answer to that question is what determines how thought leaders assess and develop their content strategies.
