Thought Leadership Article – PR Tactics Journal
One more time around for this August PRSA Tactics article about thought leadership and the common characteristics of people who successfully portray it on the social Web, and elsewhere. I received some nice comments and additional ideas from readers on this article which is located here on the Public Relations Society of America Web site. My thanks to everyone who contributed. Have a look and share your thoughts as well.
A common thread among the comments is the notion that true thought leaders are not chest-thumping know-it-alls who lift themselves up while being condescending to others. We’ve all experienced some of these. The point is that creating community and content that others value while potentially aiding your own purposes (such as attracting attention to your brand, product or service) requires simple etiquette and some personality. Thought leadership – or whatever you might like to call it – is hard to achieve if your head is in the clouds.
A variation of thought leadership I didn’t include in the article regards “positive controversy,” or offering a contrarian view of a popular topic or issue. Sometimes assuming a little risk to voice an unexpected or less supported opinion can draw more attention to you or your cause and help key messages spread. Going this route incessantly would get old and turn many people away, but used tactfully it has merit.
As a PRSA member for 25+ years, who occasionally still consults in market analyst and media relations, I’ve read every one of your columns since you started your column in PR Tactics. I learn so much from you, and continue to learning from you as well as the other social media experts around the world.
Now transitioning to professional mommy blogger with my own blog MommyBlogExpert.blogspot.com, I am a believer in the role models of true thought leaders as you describe them here. That spirit of collaboration is contagious. What’s more, is that this time of constant self-less giving and exchange of information on the web is one of the best ways to not only improve your own skill set, but to improve the greater online social community as a whole.
Janis, thanks for reading and commenting. My best to your blogging at http://MommyBlogExpert.blogspot.com (… a Triplet Mom no less!).
I don’t mean to sound preachy, but “it’s in giving that we receive” applies well here. Your comment from above is spot on: “this time of constant self-less giving on the Web…”