You’ve no doubt heard or seen the term \u201cthought leader\u201d tossed about in a seemingly endless number of articles, posts, videos, and on-site and virtual meetings. But what exactly is a thought leader? After all, nobody holds a college degree in thought leadership.<\/p>\n
An IT thought leader is someone who has disruptive yet practical ideas about how to help IT work more effectively, says Suresh Bethavandu, chief people officer at digital transformation consulting firm Mindtree. \u201cAn IT thought leader understands not only the potential for emerging technologies, such as AI and the cloud, but also business strategy,\u201d he notes. \u201cAn IT thought leader has a deep understanding of IT\u2019s role in the context of helping the organization grow There are many great technologists, but only a relative few are deeply in touch with their entire enterprise. \u201cThey are fascinated An IT leader who becomes a trusted advisor to enterprise management has a distinct advantage over less insightful colleagues. \u201cThose who can translate business needs into realistic business cases \u2026 will become the first person that leadership calls when they need strategic help,\u201d Ross observes.<\/p>\n
An IT thought leader possesses digital savviness — an understanding of IT knowledge and an enjoyment of digital tools, says David Zhao, managing director at IT management consulting firm Coda Strategy. \u201cThey know how to arrange people, processes, and technology to achieve a digital transformation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Perhaps the best way to get started as an IT thought leader is to lead For an IT professional, the benefits of thought leadership include both professional development and personal brand growth. \u201cEmploying a thought leadership strategy allows you to become an influencer in your field,\u201d says Claire McKenna, senior writer and researcher at BARR Advisory, a cybersecurity and compliance services firm. She suggests exploring different media for sharing thought leadership content. \u201cWriting blogs, appearing on podcasts, and giving media interviews are all great ways to get started.\u201d<\/p>\n
Still, it isn’t necessary to make a big splash. Thought leadership can be confined to in-house colleagues \u201cStay focused on your objective, continue leading with curiosity, and share your excitement with your peers,\u201d Bethavandu recommends. \u201cGet acquainted with colleagues in different business units and talk to customers to understand their challenges.\u201d<\/p>\n
Individuals aspiring to be disruptive leaders can learn lessons in perseverance and innovation from IT startups. \u201cDisruption doesn\u2019t always have to be a big-bang phenomenon,\u201d Bethavandu says. \u201cIt can happen on multiple fronts in multiple ways — big as well as small — and should propel the organization forward and help it differentiate itself.\u201d<\/p>\n
Being overly tech-centric is a common mistake aspiring thought leaders make. Such individuals start with a technology, then look for problems to solve. \u201cInstead, it’s important to remember that an IT thought leader drives digital change,\u201d Zhao says. \u201cUnderstanding the technology is only one aspect of IT thought leadership.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ross concurs. \u201cI\u2019ve seen several troubling examples of large technology purchases occurring before key business requirements were fully understood,\u201d he says. \u201cSeek first to understand the desired business outcomes and remember that technology is a potential enabler of those outcomes, but never a cure-all.\u201d<\/p>\n
A strong business case is essential for any proposed new technology, Bethavandu says. \u201cIf your company is not ready for, say, DevOps or containerization, be self-aware and don\u2019t push for those projects until your organization is ready,\u201d he states. On the other hand, excessive caution can also be dangerous. \u201cIf you want to be a thought leader, you have to be bold and you cannot be afraid of failing,\u201d Bethavandu says.<\/p>\n
Most enterprises already face a shortage of quality leaders. \u201cEnterprises need both people leaders and thought leaders,\u201d Zhao says. Thought leaders develop a vision for a company\u2019s business units. People leaders marshal employees to achieve that vision, he observes.<\/p>\n
For thought leaders looking to spread their vision beyond their organization, it’s important not to be viewed as a self-serving promoter. \u201cThe goal should be educating your audience, not scoring more qualified leads,\u201d McKenna says. \u201cTrust that the leads will come once you’ve built industry recognition and confidence in your brand through thought leadership.\u201d<\/p>\n
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