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By

TEAM LEWIS

Published on

January 11, 2025

Tags

marketing, public relations

Table of Contents

    As we say here at TEAM LEWIS, today's leaders need to be a brand. They are expected to be not just the head but also the face of their companies.


    What is Thought Leadership?

    Thought leadership is about providing unique perspectives, authoritative knowledge and forward-looking insights on key industry topics and trends. You can think of it as a type of content marketing, but one where you leverage your expertise, insights and passion to address the biggest questions and challenges on the minds of your audiences.

    So, how do you build thought leadership? Let’s break it down and look at examples:

    Key Takeaways

    • Thought leadership isn’t self-promotion: It’s about offering visionary ideas, not selling products.
    • Executive visibility strengthens brand: Sharing insights builds trust and enhances reputation.
    • Create engaging content: Consistent, relevant content boosts both personal and company branding.

    What is not thought leadership?

    Self-promotion of your business, products or offerings. Thought leadership is about providing visionary perspectives, philosophies and predictions that benefit and ignite your audiences – not specifically the work your company is doing or the solutions it offers.

    Let’s look at an example. In one CNBC interview, Richard Branson commented on the concept of universal basic income as a possible solution to the danger of tech replacing jobs. There is no mention to be found in the article of any Virgin brands or industries where Branson has direct business interests. Rather, his commentary is solely based on the impact that disruptive technologies may have on the workplace and workers at large.

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    Why does this matter?

    Successful thought leadership engages and appeals to key audiences and prospects, it shines a spotlight on both the executive and his or her company as industry forerunners. The result is broad brand awareness and affinity.

    Securing speaking engagements at regional industry conferences like the APAC Business Summit or Singapore FinTech Festival is crucial for enhancing executive visibility and credibility. These platforms allow executives to showcase their expertise, which can lead to industry recognition and awards that reinforce their stature within the organisation.

    Going back to Branson’s CNBC commentary, it shows that he – and, by extension, Virgin – understands what’s important to employees and is intelligently thinking about the latest technologies and their impact. This boosts the company brand and paints Branson and Virgin as innovators to the public.

    Examples of Thought Leadership

    When looking at today’s top business leaders. Sheryl Sandberg, Elon Musk or Richard Branson might come to mind. What makes them stand out? It’s not just that they’re out there building their companies, but rather, sharing career advice, commenting on societal trends or weighing in on industry news and happenings.

    Richard talking about income inequality. Sheryl advising women in the workplace. Elon talking about, well, everything. They’re leading not just their businesses or even industries, but, dare I say, leading thought (for better or for worse).

    At one point in time, there was only so much room for this type of thought leadership. But all that has changed with new technologies and channels that allow even non-celebrity CEOs to make their mark. And when done correctly, the opportunity is massive

    In our industry, many executives with truly inspiring, interesting things to say, struggle to find their voice. Or, they embark on a journey to raise their thought-leadership profile without a thorough understanding of what that really means or looks like in practice.

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    Executive Visibility

    Executive visibility refers to the presence and reputation of a company’s senior leaders, particularly the CEO, in the public eye. It involves showcasing their industry expertise, thought leadership, and personal stories to establish trust, credibility, and authority with target audiences. Executive visibility is crucial for building a strong corporate reputation, attracting top talent, investors, and customers, and ultimately driving business success.

    When executives are visible and actively engaged, it positively influences the company’s internal environment, enhancing brand reputation and building leadership credibility.

    In APAC, this is particularly vital given the region’s diverse cultures and competitive markets. Executives who effectively navigate local nuances while addressing global issues can build strong connections with regional audiences. For instance, attending events like Asia Tech x Singapore or publishing thought leadership pieces in outlets like The Economic Times or South China Morning Post can significantly enhance visibility.

    Building Leadership Content

    Building thought leadership content is a critical component of executive visibility efforts. It involves creating high-quality, informative, and engaging content that showcases the executive’s industry expertise and thought leadership. This can include blog posts, articles, whitepapers, research reports, and social media posts. The content should be tailored to the target audience and should address their pain points, interests, and concerns. By creating valuable content, executives can establish themselves as trusted advisors and thought leaders in their industry.

    Effective thought leadership content goes beyond mere information sharing; it provides unique insights and solutions that resonate with the audience. For instance, addressing the challenges of digital transformation in Southeast Asia’s SMEs or discussing sustainability in the context of Asia’s fast-growing urban centers can build a loyal following and enhance leadership credibility.

    Measuring Success and ROI

    Measuring the success and ROI of executive visibility efforts is essential to understanding their impact on the business. Key metrics to track include:

    • Media coverage: Number of media mentions, articles, and interviews
    • Social media engagement: Followers, likes, shares, and comments
    • Speaking engagements: Number of speaking opportunities and audience size
    • Awards and recognition: Number of awards and recognition received
    • Website traffic: Number of visitors and page views
    • Lead generation: Number of leads generated from executive visibility efforts

    By tracking these metrics, companies can evaluate the effectiveness of their executive visibility efforts and make data-driven decisions to optimize their strategy. Understanding which activities yield the best results allows for more focused and impactful executive positioning, ultimately enhancing the corporate reputation and driving business success.

    Integrating Thought Leadership into Corporate Strategy

    Integrating thought leadership into corporate strategy is critical to ensuring that executive visibility efforts align with business objectives. This involves:

    • Aligning thought leadership content with corporate messaging and branding
    • Ensuring that executive visibility efforts support business goals and objectives
    • Integrating thought leadership into marketing and communications strategies
    • Measuring the impact of thought leadership on business outcomes

    By integrating thought leadership into corporate strategy, companies can ensure that their executive visibility efforts are strategic, effective, and drive business results. This alignment helps in creating a cohesive brand narrative that resonates with target audiences and reinforces the company’s position as an industry leader.

    Best Practices for Thought Leadership

    Best practices for thought leadership include:

    • Authenticity: Being genuine and transparent in thought leadership content and messaging
    • Consistency: Consistently creating and publishing high-quality thought leadership content
    • Relevance: Ensuring that thought leadership content is relevant and timely
    • Engagement: Engaging with target audiences through social media, speaking engagements, and other channels
    • Measurement: Tracking and measuring the impact of thought leadership efforts

    By following these best practices, executives can establish themselves as trusted thought leaders and drive business success through executive visibility efforts. Authentic and consistent engagement with target audiences not only builds trust but also enhances the overall corporate reputation, making the company a preferred choice for customers, investors, and top talent.

    This all sounds great. How do I make it work within company culture?

    Thought leadership requires a willingness to take a stand and talk about your industry in a way that’s visionary and unique. To be successful, it requires five key building blocks:

    1. Something to say: Big, visionary ideas and compelling insights that matter to your audiences, industry or the public at large
    2. Differentiation: A unique, differentiated point of view on impactful trends and topics
    3. Expertise: Experience and depth of knowledge in your field and the challenges facing your audiences
    4. Sources and examples: To help validate your ideas and provide credibility
    5. A presence: Eloquence and skill at expressing yourself and ideas

    Of course, these are just the fundamentals. We could go on about the ins and outs of thought leadership and pitfalls to avoid, but those are posts for another day.

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