On January 20, 2021, we watched 22 year old Amanda Gorman step onto the world stage and use the power of poetic expression to help us make sense of this moment and see the possibility of a future forward. That is the power of thought leadership in action.

Amanda expressed for me what is a welcome approach to thought leadership that is resonant, engaging and draws the listener forward into conversation and action. Well last night I had the pleasure of moderating a WiT Regatta panel conversation on the Rise of Women in Thought Leadership.

Here are my top five take-aways of how women view and practice thought leadership:

1. Being a thought leader is about valuing yourself, your experience, your knowledge and perspective and the unique way that you bring that expertise to light to elevate and amplify others.
   
   
2. Thought leadership is about listening and deeply empathizing with what is being said, or in some cases what is not being said but wants to be expressed. And then being able to build on, harmonize and synthesize those voices and views in a way that helps others deepen their understanding, gain clarity, make decisions and move forward.
   
   
3. Thought leadership is diverse – this isn’t about having the one right point of view or all the right answers. It’s about surfacing and incorporating diverse perspectives that can help us a create a more accurate map of the territory. It’s about noticing what voices and views are not represented at the table and finding a way to draw them in.
   
   
4. Thought leadership is collaborative – And I don’t mean just working together in a google doc or on a powerpoint. It’s about creating the space, conditions and opportunities for folks to come to the table with a growth mindset to grapple with, process, debate, explore and discover together. In some situations that might mean being the sounding board, support or editor for others to find and own their voice, clarify their message, practice a presentation, and be able to share it with clarity and confidence.
   
   
5. Thought leadership is not positional or role based – sometimes it’s being, perhaps the only person in the room with a dissenting perspective and stepping courageously forward to challenge the status quo and express your views.

Wherever you are on the path to establishing your thought leadership it helps to:

• Surround yourself with great mentors (even informal or virtual mentors) who can provide insight, perspective, feedback, guidance and a listening ear.
• Carve out spaces with your colleagues or in your network to have conversations on your passion topics. For our auditory processors, sometimes talking it out is where you discover gifts, wisdom and perspectives you didn’t know you had in you.
• In those moments, when your inner critic, self-doubt or inadequacy might have you questioning yourself and your contributions, shift your focus from yourself to think about the impact that your expertise has or could have in that situation. Sometimes you just have to feel the fear and do it anyways.

If you want additional support, you can grab my free guide on Owning It @ Work – The definitive guide to break through impostor syndrome and step into your authentic leadership, so you can make the impact and income you’re here to make and thrive in the process.