Turning Employees Into Thought Leaders: A #CMWorld Twitter Chat With Maureen Jann

Mention “thought leadership” to a group of marketers, and you’ll likely get mixed reactions. Those two words tend to generate a lot of buzz – from those purporting to be one to others who hate the term all together. So, we thought now would be a good time to take a more critical look at thought leadership and define what it is (and what it isn’t).

Maureen Jann, founder of SuperDeluxe Marketing, says brands want a go-to thought leader but don’t know how to tap the knowledge within their own organizations. Maureen joined a recent #CMWorld Twitter chat to explain how a strategy can help identify thought leaders and best utilize their expertise.

How do you go about identifying individuals within your organization who would make a good thought leader?

A2: There are three main factors you should keep in mind when looking internally for thought leader candidates: expertise, willingness and clarity of vision. Make sure that they are doing it because they have something to say, not because they feel like they HAVE TO. #CMWorld pic.twitter.com/SgCzONg2Cp

— Maureen Jann (@SuperDeluxeMo) April 24, 2018

A2: Communicate. Don’t be afraid to let them reach beyond their job title. What can they add? If you aren’t willing to listen, you’ll miss out on what someone can add to the topic. #CMWorld pic.twitter.com/B9o06tvGYy

— J Reno(e) 🤘🎙🤘 (@Renoe) April 24, 2018

A2: Watch execs speak at corporate town halls to see whether they have a mix of voice and innovative thinking. Or find the person way down the ladder who’s actually doing a thing or knows a thing and has results or insights to show for it. #CMWorld https://t.co/KOw5Id7Mrd

— Margaret Magnarelli (@mmagnarelli) April 24, 2018

Thought leaders should provide fresh insights, rather than regurgitate what has already been said. How can you encourage a new, distinct point of view?

A4: Take a common perception or belief and dispel it. Go the other way. @markwschaefer is good at doing this. #CMWorld https://t.co/lSIcVDTwrm

— Dennis Shiao ✍ (@dshiao) April 24, 2018

A4: Part of my criteria in picking a thought leader would be that they had viewpoints that weren’t common already. I’d push them to relook at what new they can add to the insights. #CMWorld https://t.co/6H8xiatG6v

— Jeremy Bednarski (@JeremyBednarski) April 24, 2018

A4: We encourage everyone in our agency to be part of our thought leadership efforts. Each week, we ask every department to share an article or digital trend and offer their unique takeaway. It’s great seeing people find their voice when it’s open to everyone. #CMWorld

— Power Digital (@PwrDigMarketing) April 24, 2018

A complete look at tweets from this chat can be found in our Twitter Moment. Want to continue the conversation on this topic? Share your thoughts in an ongoing discussion taking place in our LinkedIn Group.

For more ideas and insights for advancing your thought leadership strategy, attend Maureen’s session at Content Marketing World 2018. Get $100 off your registration when you sign up with code SM100.