Ambidextr Media

I cannot count how many times I’ve had a great idea which I didn’t share out of fear. It’s fear of rejection, maybe. Or fear of being wrong.

I regret each and every one of them.

Does this mean that fear is the only reason a lot of people like myself are not thought leaders? I don’t think it’s that simple. To reach any meaningful conclusion, the conversation should start with a clear definition of what being a thought leader is all about.

What is a thought leader?

The leading voices in the industry tell us that a thought leader is foremostly a professional in a certain field who can be a source of wisdom and actionable ideas for their team. By this very nature, thought leaders are wells of knowledge and providers of solutions for problems that inevitably arise in thriving businesses.

Here we learn an important lesson: A thought leader is a specialist.

No one has the amount of knowledge in all fields to be a thought leader in every field. However, you can be an excellent thought leader in the field of your choosing. Basically, thought leaders possess focus.

Is that all it takes? Not quite. Professionals also put emphasis on a thought leader’s leadership skills. Being a knowledgeable specialist in your area of expertise does not automatically make you a thought leader. Having good leadership is an equally important qualification.

And this is the catch. Industry leaders share the notion that a good leader is not made overnight. It is a process that takes time, toil, and dedication.

The cut-off line

So, a thought leader is a field-focused specialist who has the knowledge and the experience to lead. Who, then, makes the cut-off and who doesn’t? And most importantly, why?

In theory, everyone can be a thought leader. We all have at least one thing we are very passionate about. If you don’t, then that’s valid too. It’s just around the corner. But for most of us, we don’t reach that level of excellence at that thing we love— be it starting our own companies or managing existing ones and everything that comes in between —because the path is difficult to trod and oftentimes, seemingly endless.

Here is why not everyone is a thought leader. To be one requires a mileage that not everyone has. In practice, being a thought leader means making sacrifices.

There’s a reason why the word “experience” is commonly preceded by the phrase “hard-won.” Because it is a resource that does not come without calluses.

Speak well, listen better

More to my point in the beginning of this discussion. Is my fear of speaking up even though I have good ideas the reason why I am not a thought leader? Maybe. At the very least, it is a telling symptom. But, it can be fixed.

Speaking and listening are two closely related skills. When you are good at listening, you get better at speaking. The lessons from professionals teach us that thought leaders recognize the importance of not just speaking, but listening to your colleagues as well.

Learn how to read the room better, tune your ears to the subtlest music of conversations, and you’ll begin to feel more at ease to speak when it’s your turn to voice out the next big idea that just might change everything.

Blog by Edrian M. Nabong