Becoming a Thought Leader

© 2014 IBM Corporation

Becoming a Thought Leader

David Jarvis – Manager, IBM Center for Applied Insights

May 2014


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



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?



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



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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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/



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/




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/




16 SOURCE: Forrester, http://blogs.forrester.com/laura_ramos/13-04-04-b2b_thought_leadership_not_so_much



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



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/



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”



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



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



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



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



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



Examples of general thought leadership

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Conferences

Books

Articles

Consulting firms

Think tanks & professional orgs

Corporate



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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Developing an action

plan



For consideration… a content marketing framework

34 SOURCE: Content Marketing Institute



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?



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?



Listen for need,

envision the future

Share expertise

Treasure wild ducks

Dare to create

original ideas

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For more information

ContactDavid Jarvis

Manager, IBM Center for Applied Insights

[email protected]

www.ibm.com/ibmcai

www.ibmcai.com

www.pinterest.com/creativesalve/thought-leadership/

www.linkedin.com/pub/david-jarvis/8/556/156

www.slideshare.com/dajarvis

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