Going beyond thought leadership means showing your impact
In today’s content-saturated world, getting messages to land is difficult, whoever you are. But here’s one that landed – our attention was grabbed by a recent Forbes article on how company leaders communicate.
Dr. Cheryl Robinson is an international speaker, media coach, leadership coach/course developer, and writes: “In 2026, audiences are saturated with insight. AI adoption and workforce fatigue have created a new leadership gap between insight and execution. People are no longer asking who has the smartest take. They are asking who is actually making a significant change.”
Dr. Robinson certainly practises what she preaches. The content grabbed our attention because it hit a pain point… and then it said something that made us think.
With our professional and personal networks so flooded with advice and theoretical insights, just sounding smart isn’t enough anymore. People are becoming skeptical of leaders who talk a big game but don’t have much to show for it.
B2B communications needs to lead, not follow
The same applies to B2B PR communications theory. IBA has always said – “it’s the role of a field leader to educate the market.”
PR people who just ambulance chase for media attention are not leading the pack, they are following the pack. The phrase why lead when you can follow comes to mind!
And the media is becoming not just jaundiced and eye rolling about ambulance chasing stories – but rather annoyed.
Cision data shows that the PR industry is slowly realizing that thought leadership is no longer a “nice-to-have” but a strategic asset for 2026. Per its Inside PR 2026 report: “Nearly 3 in 10 PR pros see some of the greatest opportunities in increasing executive visibility and thought leadership, which aligns with the finding that brand awareness is the No.1 overall priority for PR teams in 2026.”
We’re on the same page! We always say, to create high-impact content, start by leveraging the unique insights of your subject matter experts – they are your people power. For a B2B marketing refresher on how to build the reputation of an executive – and the company they represent – into a thought leader, see our guide to executive profiling.
IBA clients point the way
But beware! With the rise of online community forums, social media, and podcasts, anyone with a smartphone can pose as an authority on any subject. Even being an established “thought leader” is no longer enough to stand out from the crowd.
It’s not about talking the talk, it’s about walking the walk. In short, B2B companies need to show impact and how their company or product is influencing change in their industry, and even the world.
Of course, you can’t use PR to influence change with your end-users and prospects without getting through the gatekeeper first. Journalists receive hundreds of pitches to their inbox every day so only the most impactful stories will break through.
Adding strategic insight to geopolitical events
A perfect case in point is our A&D client whose ex-Army subject matter expert had hugely insightful views on how the Russia-Ukraine conflict has some big implications for defense logistics during military campaigns. The team shared these insights to defense manufacturers, military forces, and MRO providers and saw 20+ placements across topline A&D publications across North America, Europe, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific.
A great example of adding insight to an impactful topic, not exploiting geopolitical sensitivity to ambulance chase one-off coverage.
A couple more examples of companies leading with impact in the IBA client roster:
Mitigating extreme weather events to keep the lights on
Global weather events get some journalists’ eyes rolling. But for utilities storms, floods, heat waves (silent storms) are events that can leave millions of citizens dangerously without power – all at a time when energy needs are growing – from electrification to data centers, and bills are skyrocketing.
Utilities manage some of the highest value assets in the world issue right in the wheelhouse of our asset investment planning software provider client, that works with some of the leading power utility providers.
Our client’s software is calling for change. Could be AI is, yes, finally calling time on Excel! Its first-of-their-kind AI-driven tools, means utility providers can throw gutfeel and excel out of the window, de-risk investment, and be accountable for their prices to regulators.
Every journalist pays an energy bill and sees the price hike and experiences the outage. The IBA pitch was all about the impact of the solution and the change it brings. Our first placements are rolling in with targeted industry media outlets while securing two media/podcast interviews – truly showing how our client is changing power grids for the better!
Giving manufacturers the clarity to act when disruption hits
In a world of disruption on land, sea, and air, manufacturing, the bedrock of every fast-moving consumer good that we all rely on in our everyday lives, is still working from hindsight-driven data. We’ve all heard of the single pane of glass (one of the media’s pet hate phrases btw).
But here’s the change and impact. Our data movement client’s architecture ensures every decision – whether made by a human, an automation system, or an AI agent – is grounded in the most current operational truth. It’s this data foundation that means in times of disruption (like now), manufacturers can quickly detect anomalies, forecast issues, and orchestrate responses – and consumers need never know because their favorite product is still on the shelf.
IBA leapt into action to work this message into media-facing pitches to target manufacturing and national journalists – giving our client’s subject matter expert a platform to show how their company is solving the latest industry challenges that has real impact on manufacturing – from production on the shop floor, right through to consumer purchase.
Show – don’t tell
In the 2026 communications landscape, people are tuning out the noise of theoretical advice and turning up the volume on real-world results. For B2B brands to cut through the clutter, a shift in focus is necessary.
It’s no longer about being the loudest voice in the room – it’s about being the most effective catalyst for change. When a company leads with impact, they don’t just gain visibility, they build the kind of trust and authority that a flashy LinkedIn post or an AI bot simply can’t replicate.
Jamie Kightley is Head of Client Services at IBA International.
