I’ve shared before that I fell into the role of a thought leader in higher education marketing. I started as a doctoral student trying to figure out what was next.
Because of that sideways entrance into this type of work for the profession, I’ve never really thought about the broad benefits of the work for me and for the profession.
If you’re thinking about becoming a thought leader, aside from your message and your platform, it’s also important to understand the benefits of developing your personal brand. Doing this work well takes a ton of time and effort. (I write every Sunday morning before the rest of my house is up).
Knowing why you’re investing the time and energy is helpful to stay focused on your message and what you’re hoping to achieve.
Thought Leadership Personal Benefits
Thought leadership has helped me as a professional in our industry in a few ways, while I didn’t seek this out, I am also incredibly thankful for the opportunities that have been presented because of it.
Networking – Regularly contributing content on certain topics creates opportunities to network with other thought leaders. I think back to attending AMA in 2022, when I was just meeting many of the other thought leaders, compared to AMA in 2023. Over the past year through my writing, connecting online and at conferences, these thought leaders have become colleagues and friends. They’re now some of the people I turn to for advice, to commiserate challenges, to get valuable feedback on an idea, or to provide a connection for a future project.
Opportunity – Thought leadership also provides engagement on other platforms. It could be speaking at a conference, writing a publication, hosting a podcast or being considered for a new role. While none of these things was the reason I began in this kind of work, it has created multiple experiences I have really enjoyed and has allowed for more board networking. Through consistent thought leadership, I’ve been able to share my story with a broad audience who I might otherwise not have connected with.
Personal Growth – This is probably one I never recognized until a colleague mentioned it recently. I’ve gotten better at so many things because of the work of being a thought leader. I’ve become more comfortable networking in conversations (still a strong introvert). Additionally, my presentation skills have improved, as I know my content and have comfort sharing with the audience. Finally, I have become more organized to manage the work of regular writing, speaking, publishing, etc.
Service to the Profession – I believe in the value of higher education, and I believe that my work, especially that around preparing the next generation, is helping to make sure our profession remains viable. To me, this is one of the best ways I can give back to our industry and make it better for others. This year, in addition to being mentored by several marketing leaders, I’ve also had the opportunity to mentor others to help them learn and grow in our profession. That is something that would never have happened without my personal thought leadership.
Thought Leadership Institutional Benefits
I want to first begin by saying that I am incredibly blessed to work at an institution that understands the value of thought leadership. They have been incredibly supportive of me pursuing this work in additional to my work at the university. .
Increased Visibility – A thought leader adds value to the institution through increased visibility. Being recognized as an expert in the professional world helps to highlight the great work happening at the institution as well. For example, often times when talking about key strategies, I share how we’re approaching the work at my institution, which helps to highlight the success more broadly.
Talent Attraction – I firmly believe that another outcome of my thought leadership is talent attraction. Especially in the marketing world, it’s a small community and having a strong thought leader is great to help build connections in the space. My hope is that this work helps the institution be considered by other marketing and enrollment leaders when positions are open.
Sectoral Leadership – This is more than just increased visibility. This is using the connections I’ve gained as a thought leader to bring new ideas and new opportunities to the institution. This could be getting access to a beta version of a new tool, having a connection to help address a current challenge, or helping more broadly show some of the work happening at the institution is best in class.
Final Thoughts
If you’re considering thought leadership, here’s more about my story into the space and what it’s meant to me. While no two journeys into the space are the same, I do think thought leadership can provide some incredible personal and professional opportunities.
And Carrie On 