As thought leaders, we’ve worked hard to hone our craft. We’ve spent countless hours reading, learning and educating ourselves in order to impart that knowledge to brand-new audiences. We’ve established connections that broaden our spectrum, stretch our limits and, at times, challenge our way of thinking. But becoming an “expert” doesn’t mean we stop learning. To the contrary, this is where we need to step up our game in order to rise to the top. This is what is going to define us as a thought leader in a very crowded field.
Now, what exactly is a thought leader? Strictly speaking, it’s defined as “a recognized authority in a specialized field and whose ideas influence and guide others.” I interviewed author and motivational speaker Randy Gage on my podcast, and he defined it as “the kind of person that is having thoughts other people aren’t having.” Those people who are looking to rethink the process of how things get done usually become great thought leaders. As Gage notes, “You can be a thought expert, but not a thought leader.”
