Download - Becoming a Thought Leader
© 2014 IBM Corporation
Becoming a Thought Leader
David Jarvis – Manager, IBM Center for Applied Insights
May 2014
© 2014 IBM Corporation
IBM Market Development & Insights
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When you talk… people should listen
https://archive.org/details/dmbb31629
When people talk… YOU should listen
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IBM Market Development & Insights
1. Why did you decide to take this course?
2. Why do you think thought leadership is important?
3. Why is thought leadership important to IBM? To MDI?
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A way to breakthrough the noise
To differentiate
For survival
It’s what we should be doing
Shows we have a POV
Its part of a new sales model
To have broader influence
A competitive differentiator
Helps to uncover new opportunities
Shows that we are a leader
Provides value to our clients
It’s our responsibility
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Why is thought leadership important?
Why is it important to IBM?
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The rise of “thought leadership”
5SOURCE: Google Books, Ngram Viewer; “Vision Statement: The Words We Use”, Harvard Business Review, April 2014, http://hbr.org/2014/04/the-words-we-use/ar/1
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IBM Market Development & Insights
The rise of “thought leadership”
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What’s the difference?
guru thought leader influencer
visionary expert maven
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thought leader?thought leader?
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thought thought leader?leader?
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thought thought leader?leader?
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IBM Market Development & Insights
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thought thought leader?leader?
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IBM Market Development & Insights
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thought thought leader?leader?
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IBM Market Development & Insights
Why thought leadership? – making markets
“It isn't so much about telling people what to do, I think it's about getting
people to understand why and have a shared passion about it. So, if you're
firm on what your beliefs are, you get a great foundation to go make a market.”
– Ginni Rometty on making markets
13SOURCE: “IBM's Ginni Rometty: Growth and comfort do not coexist”, http://management.fortune.cnn.com/2011/10/05/ibms-ginni-rometty-growth-and-comfort-do-not-coexist/
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Why thought leadership? – content marketing
“Content marketing is a marketing technique of creating and distributing
relevant and valuable content to attract, acquire, and engage a clearly
defined and understood target audience – with the objective of driving profitable
customer action.”
14 SOURCE: Content Marketing Institute, http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/what-is-content-marketing/
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IBM Market Development & Insights
Why thought leadership? – content marketing
White papers
Infographics
Case studies
Videos, webcasts and podcasts
Magazines, e-books, newsletters, articles
Blogs, websites, online communities, social media
Events
15 SOURCE: Content Marketing Institute, http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/what-is-content-marketing/
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Why thought leadership? – content marketing
16 SOURCE: Forrester, http://blogs.forrester.com/laura_ramos/13-04-04-b2b_thought_leadership_not_so_much
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Top qualities of a thought leader
Creative
Has a unique point of view, original thinking
A good storyteller and communicator
Can connect with people
Trusted
Has courage
Deep expertise and knowledge
A passion
Provocative, pushes the boundaries
Can build a following
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Being a thoughtful
leader
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Principles of being a thought leader
A thought leader is an individual or group that is recognized as one of the foremost authorities in a selected area, they:
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Have ideas that are forward
looking, innovative and
“brilliant”
Provoke action internally and
externally
Can capitalize on the equity
attained by being a thought leader
SOURCE: “What is a thought leader?”, Forbes, http://www.forbes.com/sites/russprince/2012/03/16/what-is-a-thought-leader/
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What makes a thought leader a thought leader?
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Content
(ideas)
Has unique ideas or point or view
Forward looking
Shapes the dialog and drives conversations
Connection
(action)
Can synch ideas with the zeitgeist Public
Has influence – changes people’s point of view or opinion
Recognition
(equity) Viewed as an expert or “brilliant”
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The challenge balancing both sides
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See the strategic picture and promote innovation… …with structure and attention to detail
Be passionate about the business… …with academic objectivity
Have broad, encyclopaedic outside interests…
…with knowledge of how things get done in the company
Analyze complex problems… …with the ability to communicate clearly and concisely
Be a self starter and comfortable working alone…
…with vanity to publicize and communicate
Demonstrate a strong base of knowledge and natural gravitas…
…with a thirst for new ideas and flexibility to reinvent
SOURCE: John Reiners, IBM
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Skills for thought
leadership
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Have foresight
Take a broad view Be creative
Move people Cultivate influence
Effectively communicate
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Have foresight – get there early
Idea Creation
Early Awareness
PopularAwareness
Science fiction, visionary works, fringe publications
Scientific and technical literature, industry publications
News periodicals, mass media coverage
Educational and historical material, legislation
Integration
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Take a broad view – bring the outside in
Organization(Internal Dynamics)
Laws & regulations
Generational change
Emerging technologies
Social change
Energy & the environment
Geopolitical developments
Economic developments
Competition
M&AIndustry trends
Standards & regulation
Customers
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Be creative – have the right attitude
openness to novelty
tolerance for ambiguity
acceptance of complexity
suspicion
disbelief
impatience
annoyance
denial
intrigue
sense of wonder
curiosity
interest
delight
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FROM TO
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Move people
“…when people are uncertain… they don’t look inside themselves for
answers… they look outside for sources of information that can reduce their
uncertainty… What do the experts think about this topic?”
– Robert Cialdini
SOURCE: “The Uses (and Abuses) of Influence”, Harvard Business Review, interview with Robert Cialdini, July-Aug 201327
© 2014 IBM Corporation
IBM Market Development & Insights
Cultivate influence – The six principles of persuasion
SOURCE: “The Uses (and Abuses) of Influence”, Harvard Business Review, interview with Robert Cialdini, July-Aug 201328
Liking Reciprocity Social proof Commitment and
consistency Authority Scarcity
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Effectively communicate Build trust and people will invest in you
Have a conversation – know how to listen
Contribute more than you receive
Communicate with clarity – be simple and concise
Have an open mind
Display authenticity and transparency
Know when to be quiet – understand what is not said
29SOURCE: “10 Communication Secrets of Great Leaders”, Forbes, http://www.forbes.com/sites/mikemyatt/2012/04/04/10-communication-secrets-of-great-leaders/
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Examples of thought
leadership
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Examples of general thought leadership
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Conferences
Books
Articles
Consulting firms
Think tanks & professional orgs
Corporate
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Examples of IBM thought leadership
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Global Technology Outlook
IBM Research 5 in 5
IBM Global C-Suite Study
Academy of Technology
Global Innovation Outlook
Various whitepapers and studies
Events
Demos
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IBM Market Development & Insights
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Developing an action
plan
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For consideration… a content marketing framework
34 SOURCE: Content Marketing Institute
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Exercise – building a personal plan of action
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Evaluate (plan, audience)
In which principles are you strongest? Which do you need help with? Who is your audience?
Content (story)
What do you want to be known for? What areas of expertise are you going to
focus on?
Skills
What skills are you going to focus on and develop (foresight, creativity, communication, ability to influence)?
How are you going to do it?
Recognition Who do you want recognition from? How will you get it?
© 2014 IBM Corporation
IBM Market Development & Insights
How to get started?
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Content
(ideas)
Pick something to be known for, coordinate with your team
Develop a fact-based point of view on that something (don’t do it alone)
Go beyond our “standard” sources
Connection
(action)
Leverage all of Bluemine’s capabilities
Post to blogs (e.g., bluemine CONNECT, ThoughtsonCloud, IBM CAI, Mobile Business Insights, Smarter Planet)
Stay active with your internal & external social networks
Recognition
(equity)
Map your current influence network – build a strategy to broaden it (brands, geographies, internal/external)
Do you have any equity that you can use?
© 2014 IBM Corporation
IBM Market Development & Insights
Listen for need,
envision the future
Share expertise
Treasure wild ducks
Dare to create
original ideas
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© 2014 IBM Corporation
IBM Market Development & Insights
For more information
ContactDavid Jarvis
Manager, IBM Center for Applied Insights
www.ibm.com/ibmcai
www.ibmcai.com
www.pinterest.com/creativesalve/thought-leadership/
www.linkedin.com/pub/david-jarvis/8/556/156
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