Anyone Can Be A Thought Leader [Infographic]

Jessica Pyykkonen https://www.salesforce.com/ca 1m 354 #thoughtleader

The views of this article are the perspective of the author and may not be reflective of Confessions of the Professions.

Are You A Thought Leader?

Quick: Think about the people in your industry that you admire. They are the ones who have outsize ideas and energy, perhaps, or the ones that always step up when there’s a need. You may not have ever met them, but just reading about them helps you draw inspiration for your own career or your own field. If you admire that person, or those people, you may look for new information as they provide it, from social media posts to books to speaking appearances.

While thought leaders make it seem easy—that they rose to the top of their professions simply by dint of a winning personality—that’s not so. Thought leaders worked harder than most, giving commitment and focus as they put ideas and learning into practice. They’re pointing to the future, but they didn’t get there by accident.

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If you look at multiple thought leaders, there are certain steps they took or characteristics they all mostly have. For starters, they weren’t afraid to speak up with ideas, to ask hard questions, to draw attention. They took advantage of opportunities, both large and small, in order to reach more people and convert them to their way of thinking. Their passion translated into wider and wider circles of influence, and into more and more advocates for their ideas.

So how do you become a thought leader, and how can you emulate people who have already achieved this? Take heed of the insights provided in this infographic.