THE AUTHORITY ADVANTAGE

Forbes Books CEO Witty and Zilker Media founder Shelton offer a results-oriented method for becoming an authority figure.

It will come as no surprise to entrepreneurs and business leaders that they need to be viewed as a person in authority. But as the authors assert, building the right kind of authority is a methodical process, resulting in a “Master Authority Plan.” The straightforward book’s first part defines what they call the “Authority Advantage”; it covers some key shifts in the branding, media, and sales spheres and suggests that there are four basic types of leaders—the most desirable of which is “The Mission-Driven Thought Leader,” or, more simply, “the authority.” In Part 2, Witty and Shelton offer a thorough discussion of the various aspects of building a personal brand and then offer useful detail about content development. Citing several examples, the authors demonstrate how to become “more discoverable” in search engines and distinguish between the “preengagement” and “postengagement” phases of branding. They also share some fresh ideas regarding the concept of “authority by association” and referral marketing. The material about creating content will likely be valuable to corporate marketing and C-level executives; it addresses such contemporary concepts as “evergreen content,” “newsjacking,” and “relationship-driven content” and presents clear examples of each. Part 3 begins with an intriguing, informed conversation around “the new media landscape and virtual real estate,” with special emphasis on the LinkedIn social media network because of its business-related use. Other aspects of building authority, such as speaking engagements, authoring a book, and podcasting, are discussed as well. Witty and Shelton end by making a passionate case for the idea that becoming an authority may contribute to one’s overall happiness. They suggest at the end of the book that they’ve given readers “a MAP to build and market your authority,” but not all readers may agree; the content seems more like a loose collection of potential strategies than a clear, step-by-step plan. Still, many readers will find real value from its exploration of the essence of authority.

An enthusiastic and actionable, if somewhat loosely organized, leadership guide.