By Kelley Reynard

The term ‘Thought Leadership’ was coined in 1994 by Joel Kurtzman, and defined as ‘an individual or firm that is recognised as an authority in a specialised field and whose expertise is sought and often rewarded’. Thought leadership is known to create credibility, visibility, and brand loyalty, and is a powerful way to increase influence, impact, and success. So, how do thought leaders innovate and communicate to their broader audience to impact on the environment around them? Denise Brosseau, Founder and CEO of the Thought Leadership Lab, outlines 5 behaviours thought leaders engage in to make a meaningful difference and drive real results.

1. Thought leaders expand ideas
They present ideas that inspire new ways of thinking and engage action. Thought leaders recognise that ideas form the core of what it takes to change the world, and they work hard to actively promote and sell valuable and meaningful concepts and ideas.

2. Nurture relentless curiosity
Thought leaders continually explore and expand new possibilities, and don’t just wait around for inspiration to strike. They are innovative, take charge, question the status quo, and seek out novel, out-of-the-box solutions to gather new sources of information, expand their knowledge and grow.

3. Engage with their ecosystem
They start conversations with others in their environment, and stimulate discussion to share ideas, strategies, and methods with the potential to spark a movement.

4. Seek out creative suggestions from, and collaborate with those tackling the same challenges
Thought leaders like to connect with and share ideas with like-minded individuals. They like to have everyone on the same page, and openly share ideas without having to know everything. By finding a broader ecosystem that cares about what they care about, a dialogue can be created so that everyone’s solutions and questions are heard and valued.

5. Show the way forward
A strong quality of thought leaders is their ability to reflect on, and learn from past experiences and early efforts, sharing with others their successes and failures, best practice, and lessons learned so that others don’t have to start from scratch when in the same position. They don’t just see their role as a leader of one team or organisation, they show how their experiences can be applied more broadly, and focus on developing principles, processes or systems that others can use, expand on and transform in turn. They chart the way forward for others, and help their followers expand on their efforts to achieve growth and success.

To access the full article by Denise Brosseau ‘Do as Thought Leaders Do’, please click the following link: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/230701