| |
Thought leadership is driving change and perceptions about the role of business, and also the way we live. Thought leaders are those men and women who do not follow, but are leaders with innovation and vision. What they have in common is being able to transform abstract ideas into simple, common sense advice that promotes change.
Former Vice President Al Gore is a thought leader whose innovative thinking on man-made climate change, and what we can do about it, won him the Nobel Peace Prize.
Alex F. Osborne is the grandfather of the word "brainstorm," who gave merit in the most conservative business circles to the idea of creative thinking. It was Osborne who said: "It is easier to tone down a wild idea than to think up a new one."
These are the kinds of innovations and ideas that have or will have a profound impact on the way we live and do business.
The late Philip Crosby, a Martin-Marietta and IBM executive, wrote easy-to-read books for lay people and business leaders on the idea of "quality" in business, and the high cost of turning out poor-quality goods and services.
Sandra Odendahl is director of Environmental Risk Management for CIBC, Canada's fifth-largest bank. With a degree in chemical engineering, she is a frequent guest speaker at universities to future business leaders about not just the political correctness, but also the profitability in going green.
The late Peter F. Drucker defined the challenges and opportunities for new generations of "knowledge workers" decades before the phrase became commonly known. He used his expertise to predict future social, economic and business trends.
Jon R. Katzenbach is considered a thought leader on the use of teamwork in a corporate setting, and how to make teams more effective.
Alvin Toffler, author of the internationally best-selling book, Future Shock, also was ahead of his time in writing about the digital revolution and information overload long before they became commonly used phrases.
Steve Jobs has always been a thought leader in action, continuing to re-define personal technologies from computers to iPods to iPhones after making the personal computer a household device in the late 1970s that now is almost as common as a toaster. He also redefined and re-innovated animation through his Pixar Animation.
Alice Korngold has been a leader in how to make nonprofits act more like businesses, and vice versa. Her innovations and vision were captured in her book, Leveraging Good Will: Strengthening Nonprofits by Engaging Business.
Larry Page and Sergey Brin, founders of Google, created and continue to re-define how to create successful Internet search engines and capture new revenues through online advertising.
Former President Jimmy Carter also won the Nobel Peace Prize. He won in 2002 for his innovative approach to finding peaceful solutions to international conflicts—ideas that will become more important in this increasingly global economy.
Peter Diamondis is a physician with a master's degree in aerospace engineering who founded the X Prize Foundation, which has captured the world's imagination by awarding prizes to those who know how to best leverage the entrepreneurial spirit and the public interest with cross-disciplinary innovation. The private sector development of outer space for business and tourism is just one of the many innovative pursuits of those who seek the X Prize.
These men and women not only became leaders for their innovative ideas; they established themselves as thought leaders by translating their creative thinking into easily understood terms that can be capitalized on by the widest audiences in any country. Ultimately, that is the role of thought leadership: to make new ideas accessible and do-able.
Ruth Klein is an award-winning business owner, best-selling author and marketing and time management consultant whose clients range from solo entrepreneurs to the Fortune 500. Sign up to receive Ruth's 7 Part Mini-Course on Branding and Productivity. http://tinyurl.com/25tqo5
 EasyPublish™ this article - publishers click here
More articles by Ruth Klein
- You Too Can Learn Mexican Spanish Fast (Steven Magill)
A fun way to learn Mexican Spanish is through games. With arcade style games or puzzles you can learn quickly without even feeling like you are working. With this type of learning system, you will be more likely to use it every day. - How to Get the Best Results From a Learn to Speak Spanish CD (Steven Magill)
When you´re looking for a learn to speak Spanish CD course, take the time to research the ones that interest you. See what other people are saying. There are some terrific courses available, such as... - Play it Like Pollyanna! (Lea Houston)
This article inspires readers to choose gratitude as a transformational practice. It features the story of Pollyanna, real life examples, brief explanations of the health and spiritual benefits of gratitude and easy, enjoyable, practical suggestions for using gratitude to improve every area of life.
|