Calling all Wanna Be Thought Leaders: What Are You Waiting For?

Do you have an idea you’d like to share? Do you know how to do something that would benefit others?

If you’ve ever wished you could be a thought leader, you’ve come to the right place. Whether you are a development director, ED/CEO, consultant, or business owner, there are endless opportunities to share your knowledge and gain the respect of colleagues, clients, board members, and donors.

Thought leadership is important for fundraising — after all, we are solving the world’s biggest challenges. The world needs new ideas and innovation to constantly improve.

If you want to advance in your career, thought leadership can be critical. Whether you aspire to work at a bigger organization, rise through the ranks in your current organization, or become a consultant or business owner (or a more visible one), thought leadership provides the path to success.

4 Steps to Become a Nonprofit Thought Leader

Here are four simple (but not easy) steps to become recognized as a thought leader in your field.

1. Think.

Brainstorm a list of solutions. Jot down any ideas you have that might benefit others.

For example, do you have a new, more creative, or effective solution to everyday challenges? Or, even if your idea is already in the mainstream, do you have something that will improve it? What’s your angle or special twist? Can you make the concept easy to understand or simpler to implement?

Once you have your ideas on paper, start to come up with titles and topics to share that idea. It’s time to flesh out your concept, write about it, and speak about it.

2. Write.

Getting published is easier than you think. The world wide web is hungry for information, and there are endless blogs and newsletters, most of which take guest submissions. You could start your own blog, but it’s probably easier to write a few articles first and see if others are open to posting on their blogs.

Once you’re committed to writing on a regular basis, you can start your own blog. The challenge here is that you need to publish consistently (at least twice a month) and share the posts with others on social media and via email.

In other words, you’ll also want to build an audience of people and followers who care about your ideas and content.

3. Speak.

Speaking in public provides another important medium to share your ideas.

1. Begin by joining your local ToastMasters to hone your skills.
2. Once you’ve shaped your ideas into a talk, you can start locally with your Rotary Club or Chamber of Commerce. They are always looking for interesting speakers.
3. Next, apply to speak at local and national conferences in your field. I got my start speaking at the New York City Chapter of AFP more than 15 years ago. It was easier than I thought — I simply submitted my idea and scheduled a date!

Most conferences take speaker applications and are always looking for new ideas and fresh faces.

4. Record.

The internet loves video! Start with a social media account and start posting snippets from your phone. You can always post to a YouTube channel as well.

The more worthwhile content you post, the more likely it is that your audience will find you and subscribe to your channel.

You Need an Audience

You can have the best ideas in the world, but if no one hears them, what’s the point?

With the help of technology, it’s easy to share and spread ideas. So gather your thoughts, in writing and on video, and start sharing them with the world. It’s unlikely you’ll be a star overnight, but with dedication and determination, you’ll be a thought leader before you know it.