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In a crowded industry full of experts, standing out and gaining recognition as a thought leader requires a touch of creativity. While expertise and knowledge are essential, it’s the ability to showcase your unique perspective and captivate audiences that sets you apart. So, how can you harness creativity to become a standout thought leader in your field?
Below, Rolling Stone Culture Council members explore unconventional strategies that will help you make a lasting impact, attract attention and position yourself as a trusted authority in your industry.
Consider Personal Branding
To avoid getting lost in the sea of sameness — whether as a company CEO or a self-employed business — the way you “brand” yourself could make all the difference in initially attracting eyeballs. This could include everything from on-brand attire, your website, videos, imagery, language, fonts and colors. Differentiation is instrumental in standing out. – Jim Knight, Knight Speaker
Challenge Everything
Be unafraid to ask the most obvious and, as we’ve been told, “dumb” questions. “Why are we doing this?” “What happens if we’re totally wrong here?” “Have we run this by a whole crew of people first to make sure we didn’t miss something important and obvious?” How many times have we all seen a pricey TV commercial that just flops? Think creativity plus carefulness! – Scott Cowperthwaite, AfterFiveMedia
Specialize in Your Passion
When I was in academia, I specialized in cannabinoid receptor pharmacology. I was so passionate about these receptors, people referred to me as “Dr. Cannabinoid.” Embracing this moniker became a lightning rod for collaborations or anyone with a cannabinoid or cannabis question. They didn’t know my name, but they knew to ask around for Dr. Cannabinoid! – Jahan Marcu, Marcu & Arora
Commit to Learning
The balance of creativity and thought leadership should not be clouded. If you happen to get recognized as a thought leader, that is great, but your commitment to learning and sharing your knowledge should be reason enough. The creativity of constantly sharing your opinions on other peoples’ ideas and writing thought pieces about your industry will get you noticed in the long run. – Adam Rumanek, Aux Mode Inc.
Lead With Authenticity
People want to feel as though they’re being spoken to, not at. When you lead with your heart and speak to your contemporaries with authenticity and openness, it creates a sense of trust that not only empowers but inspires by proxy. Instead of being “strategically” authentic, my theory is that simply being real is enough. – Jennifer Sodini, Hidden Hand Media
Earn Word-of-Mouth Recommendations
Make sure your leadership skills (and your creativity with actionable tasks) are strong enough to ensure word-of-mouth from employees and colleagues. Because everyone values different aspects of a leader, and because of people’s own unique means of expression, that ensures your leadership is valued beyond your self-perception. – Jacob Mathison, Mathison Projects Inc.
The Rolling Stone Culture Council is an invitation-only community for Influencers, Innovators and Creatives. Do I qualify?
Share Unique Information About Yourself
Be honest! If you try to repeat the information you’ve learned from others, you will sound like a broken record. But if you think about what you are truly doing in your everyday life, the quirks that brought you to success, and you share that reality with others, you will stand out. We all have something that we do differently from most of the public. What is your thing? – Victoria Kennedy, Marisa Johnson
Listen First, Produce Later
Set aside time to take in information instead of only putting it out. Many leaders are understandably focused on being the first to put out ideas, content and advertising, but being a good listener — in that you’re paying attention to what’s being said in and around your field — gives you the upper hand. You gain better insight into people’s needs and are more likely to catch new opportunities. – Andy Hale, Hale & Monico
Be an Expert in a Narrow Niche
Having generalized knowledge and skills is very valuable, but when you want to get noticed and grow your notoriety, you have to start somewhere. The most effective place to start is within a niche community. Win over your niche and they’ll become your biggest supporters, advocating for you to a much broader audience! – Adam Ayers, Number 5
Offer Bold New Ideas
I have learned from my years of leadership in music and technology that everyone has a valuable perspective. Your voice is a unique contribution. This is true in the culture space too. Be your authentic self. Offer bold new ideas. Don’t be afraid of fringe suggestions. Don’t be afraid to bring up ideas from eras past. Trust your experience; this is thought leadership. – Jason Fiber, THX
Create a Content Series
Consider creating a compelling multimedia content series. This series could combine informative articles, podcasts, videos and infographics, covering innovative solutions, trends and challenges in your industry. By offering an engaging and visually appealing experience, you’ll showcase your knowledge and unique perspective on the subject, making you appealing to the publication. – Joshua Adragna, Eyerate
Ask Questions and Be Curious
The best leaders are curious. If you want to stand out as both a driver in your field and a trusted leader, hone your question-asking and listening skills. By being brazenly curious, you teach those around you to always ask “what if,” which is a fantastic way to open the floodgates to creativity. – Vanessa Nornberg, Metal Mafia
Write for the Right Audience
When crafting case studies on selling out NFT collections, I leverage my experience working in a research lab to write in a manner akin to a research paper. However, I also ensure that the content is accessible and comprehensible to six-year-olds. This approach combines the rigor of scientific writing with the simplicity needed to engage an everyday audience. – Arvin Khamseh, SOLDOUT NFTs
Align With a Cause You Care About
I believe being recognized as an expert is about sharing actionable items that get people talking about you; aligning with a cause that you share with your community; partnering with an organization or individual and sharing the efforts and the impact you’re having; and taking part in an event that you can plug into with valuable resources. An expert in a field does not come from a stand-alone platform but from a community. – Amanda Whitcroft, Secta AI Labs
