Mention “thought leadership” to a group of marketers, and you’ll likely get mixed reactions. Those two words tend to generate a lot of buzz – from those purporting to be one to others who hate the term all together. So, we thought now would be a good time to take a more critical look at thought leadership and define what it is (and what it isn’t).

Maureen Jann, founder of SuperDeluxe Marketing, says brands want a go-to thought leader but don’t know how to tap the knowledge within their own organizations. Maureen joined a recent #CMWorld Twitter chat to explain how a strategy can help identify thought leaders and best utilize their expertise.

How do you go about identifying individuals within your organization who would make a good thought leader?

A2: There are three main factors you should keep in mind when looking internally for thought leader candidates: expertise, willingness and clarity of vision. Make sure that they are doing it because they have something to say, not because they feel like they HAVE TO. #CMWorld pic.twitter.com/SgCzONg2Cp

— Maureen Jann (@SuperDeluxeMo) April 24, 2018