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  • (bright music)

  • - There's often industry pressure

  • for organizations to be at the forefront,

  • to showcase their expertise,

  • to leverage their reputation in order to grow

  • their client or customer base.

  • Each of these are valid reasons

  • for organization to begin their thought leadership journey.

  • But there are other reasons that are often overlooked.

  • First and foremost among them relates to your employees.

  • People want to work for thought leading organizations.

  • They also report increased engagement

  • and satisfaction scores

  • when they themselves achieve the status of thought leader.

  • I have coached many aspiring thought leaders

  • and to a person they tell me

  • they feel a deeper sense of purpose

  • when their expertise is recognized and valued

  • and when their ideas are heard,

  • when they have a seat at the table in their organization

  • and their industry.

  • Organizations that want more engaged employees

  • should invite, nurture, and reward more of these efforts

  • at all levels.

  • Leonard Ponzi, who writes frequently

  • about corporate reputation,

  • believes that thought leadership

  • has another important outcome,

  • particularly for large entities.

  • Organizational research tells us

  • that often between what happens

  • at the top of the organization

  • to what happens at the bottom of the organization

  • there's a huge informational gap.

  • So by regularly creating thought leadership content,

  • explaining the leader's point of view,

  • and then sharing that widely,

  • this helps align the organization.

  • And by having employees and stakeholders

  • align with what is reality, then you're better off.

  • He says you're a more resilient organization.

  • Thought leadership at its core is about trust.

  • And trust is built around trustworthiness.

  • That what is showing up on the outside

  • is also being lived on the inside of the organization.

  • True thought leading organizations walk their talk.

  • They don't just advocate for social justice,

  • they treat their employees with respect.

  • They don't just talk about sustainability,

  • they monitor their own actions to ensure their practices,

  • and those of their suppliers, are sustainable.

  • They're not positioning themselves

  • as experts in the future of work

  • while laying off thousands of workers

  • without a severance package.

  • Thought leadership, when done well,

  • also has what Jim Collins outlined in his book,

  • "Good to Great," as the flywheel effect.

  • It is not the first effort

  • that causes a heavy flywheel to turn,

  • it is not the second or the fifth,

  • it is the accumulation of momentum over time,

  • the combination of all efforts

  • aligned in the right direction.

  • As you set your strategy and track your impact over time,

  • you should begin to see your own flywheel effect.

  • As your organization continues to encourage employees

  • to share their expertise, ideas, and perspectives,

  • more and more people will see your firm

  • as the go-to leader in your field.

  • As you gain more trust in your industry,

  • some people will want to become employees,

  • partners, clients or customers.

  • Others will seek your input on legislation,

  • regulations, standards or industry changes underway.

  • Other will invite you to the stage

  • or give you a larger platform

  • for connecting with a broader audience.

  • "Each turn in the flywheel

  • "builds upon the work done earlier,

  • "compounding your investment of effort.

  • "Over time, there is an unstoppable momentum,"

  • according to Collins.

  • If you stay focused and committed, that is what you'll find.

  • You'll not just be known,

  • you'll be truly making a difference.

  • (upbeat music)

(bright music)

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