Archive for January, 2012

Thought Leadership e book – 12 Experts on the Thought Leadership Challenges of 2012

Two free ebooks on thought leadership

Hi, I’ve got two great, free thought leadership e books for you.  I don’t even want your name - just go ahead and download them.  All I ask is that if you like them or feel they can add value to others please tweet about them or send your contacts a link to this page.  Thanks, I really appreciate it.

1.  The first is an ebook with answers to four critical thought leadership questions for 2012 from 12 experts in this field.  The experts include:  Bob Buday, Erica Klein, David Meerman Scott, Jeff Ernst, Rob Leavitt, Britton Manasco, Dana van den Heuvel, Matt Church, Fiona Czerniawska, Dale Bryce, Elizabeth Sosnow, Marte Semb Aasmundsen and me.  Click on this title to get your pdf copy  Challenges facing thought leadership in 2012 – the views from 12 experts
2. The second is a seven step methodology for arriving at a thought leadership positon.  It is taken from two chapters of my book: “Brand Stand: seven steps to thought leadership” which you can order by clicking on the Brand Stand book icon at the  top right of this page.  In the meantime, to download a pdf of the seven steps, click on this title  Seven steps to thought leadership – START IP eBook_

Happy reading - I’d be delighted if you have any comments/thoughts for you to share them with me on twitter @thoughtstrategy, on this blog, via a mail cbadings@cannings.net.au or via Linked In.

Yours in thought leadership.

Craig Badings

9 great ways to avoid being a thought leader

Nine ways you can avoid being a thought leader

If the word thought leader gives you cold chills, you don’t want the limelight, you don’t want anyone to know about your expertise and you are dead set on hiding your light under a bushel, here are nine ways to go about it…

1. Don’t say anything new and if you do have new thoughts about your business sector or your niche area of expertise, please do everyone and yourself a favour – keep them to yourself.
2. Immediately cull any inquisitiveness you have around your clients’ or customers’ issues and challenges.  If you do find out anything valuable, keep it to yourself and don’t do anything about it.
3. Don’t share any of that latent intellectual property – you cannot afford to have anyone know that you have unique insights to share.
4. Put away any thoughts of research that could shed some light on topics of interest to your client.  You may stumble across something that vaguely positions you as someone with insight and you can’t afford for that to happen.
5. Don’t ever scan your competitors to ascertain where the gaps are that you could fill with your expertise and insights.  This is a long, slippery slope to being recognized as something in a thought leadership position.
6. Never deep dive on an issue or topic of concern to your clients and if you do, make sure no-one knows.  Be extra careful for once you’re labeled as a thought leader it’s very difficult to shake that perception.
7. Steer clear of packaging your content in any way that vaguely says to the market you have anything new or insightful to share.  Heck, they may turn to you for advice and then what will you do?
8. Keep a very low social media profile.  If you do have one keep it personal and don’t let on that you’re an expert in anything.
   Remember there’s no digital eraser and you don’t want rumours spreading online that you could have any insights to share.
9. Finally, it was Andy Warhol who said we will all have our 15 minutes of fame. You face a conundrum.  Make sure your 15 minutes aren’t about your expertise at work – you may need to seek your 15 minutes elsewhere.  It may be that you are the world’s best Mom or Dad but even then be cautioned you can’t write about or speak about it…after all you may find yourself on the speaking circuit or being interviewed on Breakfast TV as the modern day guru on parenting. And we can’t have that now can we?

If you have any other tips on how to avoid beinga thought leader let me know.  Please download my free e book top right of this page. Follow me on twitter @thoughtstrategy and join me on LinkedIn.