True thought leaders step up in a crowded market and stand by their valuable insight!
Marketing and PR teams hear it all the time from executives: “I want to be an industry thought leader!” But very few have what it takes. The best most achieve is being a subject matter expert (SME) – where they pass comment on existing topics and industry themes. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with being an SME, but being a thought leader is not different in degree – it’s different in kind.
A true thought leader is in a league of their own. They are bold and say something meaningful that could go against the grain but introduces valuable industrial insight and experience – and it helps them, what we at IBA call, “owning the theme”. YHIHF a few weeks back, where we wrote that in the world of AEO-driven search, answer engines are rewarding those thought leaders who are dominating a theme.
It’s what separates the SME from the thought leader – and we aren’t alone in thinking this! In a new article, Allison Carter, Editor-in-Chief of PRDaily, gives a good rule of thumb to distinguish between the two. She draws on her experience as an editor for two trade publications, where as she says, she sees “dozens of submissions each week all saying the same thing.”
By way of example she cites “AI isn’t taking jobs, it’s transforming them. AI is making communications more important than ever. Human skills matter now more than ever.” As she says “None of these are bad sentiments or untrue sentiments. But they are statements few would argue with. Most of the industry has already bought into these concepts…they are really just stating the obvious.“
Allison highlights two well-established thought leaders – Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, and Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase – to show how others can walk the talk and become recognized experts in their own fields:
Be bold enough to make a stance and go against the grain
Take Mark Zuckerberg for instance. In his recent Wall Street Journal op-ed, he lays out a vision of an AI-driven future where AI use is sunny and optimistic rather than focusing on job loss or unleashing weapons of mass destruction. These opinions put him at sharp odds with many in the field of AI and outside of it. I can hear you saying, ‘well he would say that wouldn’t he’, but his argument is clear, compelling, not mixed with FUD (fear uncertainty and doubt) but with well-reasoned thought. We have to understand the downsides in order to have a view of the upsides, and not be frightened of saying it.
Reap what you sow – it’s okay to make a statement, as long as you stand by it!
Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase, has also quickly become influential in large part because of his willingness to stand out and go against the grain. He’s become well-known for his annual shareholder letters which go beyond discussing the state of the business and into the state of the nation: “Working hard, having ambition, demonstrating self-responsibility and loving your nation (particularly this nation – The States) are wonderful qualities.” These insights prove he is willing to step outside of his usual lane and stand out with a distinctive voice. Don’t be ashamed to be ambitious or working hard, don’t blame others or the world for things going wrong, just get on with it and be proud of it.
So what do these two thought leader examples tell us?
Both CEO’s have made mistakes and taken risks to share insights that go against the grain. At times, their leadership has been called into question, but they’ve stood by their statements and bold claims, which sets them apart from other leaders in their own fields.
True thought leadership isn’t built overnight. It requires hard work and consistent dedication to bring specialized expertise to a target market. By no means is it a one-and-done approach! Often the line between SME’s and thought leaders can become blurred, which is why it’s important to focus on insights that deliver real value!
Read on to discover four key ways to turn SMEs into strong thought leaders:
Most companies still approach thought leadership like a promotional tactic. They publish a few LinkedIn posts, commission a sponsored article, or launch a short-lived content campaign around an industry trend. For a moment, it creates visibility. But after this blip, the momentum disappears.
Audiences can see right through, or might not even have seen you at all! It’s the classic case of noise over substance.
In the B2B world especially, audiences are increasingly selective about who they trust. Decision-makers aren’t looking for more commentary, they seek out credible perspectives backed by expertise, evidence, and consistency.
Cut through the noise with sustained thought leadership
That’s why the most effective brands no longer treat thought leadership as a marketing campaign. They treat it as a long-term strategic driver: one that continuously generates insight, shapes industry conversations, and builds market authority over time.
For B2B companies operating in crowded or highly competitive markets, the power of that sustained authority can become a major competitive advantage. IBM’s Institute for Business Value agrees! Its research reveals 88% of executives consume thought leadership, and 87% say it has directly shaped a purchase decision in the last 90 days – that’s a lot of influencing power – remember those companies are in the funnel but still ready for turning!
There’s no denying thought leadership is more than an awareness activity. It’s a discipline that supports credibility, influences perception, enables sales conversations, and strengthens brand differentiation.
This was again underscored in a recent Content Marketing Institute article, which looks at four key ways organizations can put strong thought leadership strategies into practice:
1. It’s time to treat thought leadership as an operating system
Too often, organizations approach thought leadership in bursts – tied to product launches or events. While these one-off campaigns may generate temporary engagement, they rarely create sustained authority in the market.
But treating thought leadership as an operating system that can be refined and expanded upon over time changes this dynamic. Instead of asking, “What content should we publish this quarter?” PR and marketing pros can begin asking bigger questions:
- What market conversations do we want to shape?
- What unique perspective should we stand for?
- What insights can we bring to the industry?
This shift matters because trust is built through repetition, consistency, and depth – not isolated moments of visibility. This approach enables organizations to refine their point of view over time, deepen audience trust, and create a recognizable and credible voice within their sector.
2. Ditch marketing speak for content that stands on its own two feet
True thought leadership goes beyond content production. It’s a system for continually generating and distributing knowledge that challenges assumptions, provides clarity, and moves conversations forward.
Importantly, effective thought leadership doesn’t read like marketing or AI copy.
While it can support commercial goals, the content itself should focus on insight and impact rather than selling. Audiences engage more deeply when they feel they are learning something valuable, not being pushed toward a product or service.
The role of thought leadership is to create the intellectual foundation – think content that focuses on emerging industry shifts, key market challenges, or customer expectations. Marketing can then build from those insights to support demand generation, sales enablement, and brand positioning.
3. Add substance with original research
Original research is what transforms thought leadership from opinion into authority.
In an environment saturated with recycled perspectives and AI-generated content, primary data gives organizations something increasingly valuable: credibility that competitors cannot easily replicate. Research-led thought leadership allows organizations to own a conversation rather than simply participate in one.
The research doesn’t always need to be large-scale, it can include industry surveys, customer insight studies, and market trend analysis. What matters is that the insights are distinctive, relevant, and genuinely useful to the audience.
One of the biggest advantages of original research is its longevity. A single industry report can become the foundation for an entire ecosystem of content, including articles, webinars, social media posts, comments, and employee advocacy initiatives. This atomized approach extends the lifespan of the content, while ensuring messaging remains consistent across channels.
4. Don’t treat thought leadership as a side project
Thought leadership doesn’t succeed through occasional effort. It requires structure, ownership, and long-term consistency.
Many organizations struggle because thought leadership is treated as an informal side project rather than an operational discipline. Without clear processes, even strong ideas lose momentum.
The key to building a sustainable thought leadership platform requires alignment across multiple areas of the business – think corporate leadership, lead generation, marketing communications, the company’s teams of knowledgeable subject matter experts, and sales execs. That structure should include clear editorial themes, research, and measurement frameworks tied not to egos but to clear business goals.
Leave a lasting impression
So, the team is on message. Finally, consistency is key. Authority is never built on a single report or campaign. It develops over time through repeated visibility across all channels of communications: marketing comms, blogs, exec LinkedIn posts, press releases, corporate social media posts, and whitepapers – alongside sustained participation in industry conversations. The cumulative effect brings stronger credibility, greater market recognition, increased media relevance, and more meaningful and respected engagement with buyers.
At IBA we say, the same message from more than one source is more readily believed!
Hannah Watson is PR Lead – Analytics at IBA International.
