- There's often industry pressure

for organizations to be at the forefront,

to showcase their expertise,

to leverage their reputation in order to grow

their client or customer base.

Each of these are valid reasons

for organization to begin their thought leadership journey.

But there are other reasons that are often overlooked.

First and foremost among them relates to your employees.

People want to work for thought leading organizations.

They also report increased engagement

and satisfaction scores

when they themselves achieve the status of thought leader.

I have coached many aspiring thought leaders

and to a person they tell me

they feel a deeper sense of purpose

when their expertise is recognized and valued

and when their ideas are heard,

when they have a seat at the table in their organization

and their industry.

Organizations that want more engaged employees

should invite, nurture, and reward more of these efforts

at all levels.

Leonard Ponzi, who writes frequently

about corporate reputation,

believes that thought leadership

has another important outcome,

particularly for large entities.

Organizational research tells us

that often between what happens

at the top of the organization

to what happens at the bottom of the organization

there's a huge informational gap.

So by regularly creating thought leadership content,

explaining the leader's point of view,

and then sharing that widely,

this helps align the organization.

And by having employees and stakeholders

align with what is reality, then you're better off.

He says you're a more resilient organization.

Thought leadership at its core is about trust.

And trust is built around trustworthiness.

That what is showing up on the outside

is also being lived on the inside of the organization.

True thought leading organizations walk their talk.

They don't just advocate for social justice,

they treat their employees with respect.

They don't just talk about sustainability,

they monitor their own actions to ensure their practices,

and those of their suppliers, are sustainable.

They're not positioning themselves

as experts in the future of work

while laying off thousands of workers

without a severance package.

Thought leadership, when done well,

also has what Jim Collins outlined in his book,

"Good to Great," as the flywheel effect.

It is not the first effort

that causes a heavy flywheel to turn,

it is not the second or the fifth,

it is the accumulation of momentum over time,

the combination of all efforts

aligned in the right direction.

As you set your strategy and track your impact over time,

you should begin to see your own flywheel effect.

As your organization continues to encourage employees

to share their expertise, ideas, and perspectives,

more and more people will see your firm

as the go-to leader in your field.

As you gain more trust in your industry,

some people will want to become employees,

partners, clients or customers.

Others will seek your input on legislation,

regulations, standards or industry changes underway.

Other will invite you to the stage

or give you a larger platform

for connecting with a broader audience.

"Each turn in the flywheel

"builds upon the work done earlier,

"compounding your investment of effort.

"Over time, there is an unstoppable momentum,"

according to Collins.

If you stay focused and committed, that is what you'll find.

You'll not just be known,

you'll be truly making a difference.

(upbeat music)