THE THOUGHT LEADERSHIP HANDBOOK

Three authors offer practical advice to leaders for promoting and systematizing innovative ideas.

In this self-described “practical guide for experts who want to elevate their big ideas,” Sherman, Winick, and Aryal offer advice to aspiring thought leaders—those who introduce innovative ideas that reshape communal thinking—for moving their ideas “from personal effort to systemic influence,” noting that without proper strategy and delivery, even the best ideas may fail to make an impression. The authors—Sherman and Winick are COO and CEO of a consulting and strategy firm, respectively, and Aryal is CEO of Amplify Publishing Group—draw on a wealth of professional experience while relating their clients’ relevant success stories. Divided into four sections, the book begins with a broad overview of evaluating ideas on the basis of their potential to create lasting impact. Section two, which centers around what the authors call the “Five Avatars,” breaks down the varied personalities and motives of thought leaders. These avatars range from the “Growth-Minded CEO,” who thrives on being the public voice of a business, to the “In-House Expert,” who understands and carefully navigates an organization’s unique personalities and human relationships while protecting corporate interests. In part three, the shortest of the volume’s sections, the authors shift their attention to an insightful discussion of the intersection of the publishing industry and thought leadership, offering practical guidance for those interested in having their ideas stand out in a saturated book market. (“A book can attract an audience’s attention in a way a tweet, a talk, or an article cannot,” they note.) The final section provides the book’s most practical tools (both in-book and those available via a QR code link to a digital workbook), including self-evaluation prompts, to-do lists, action plans, and a plethora of useful charts and diagrams.

An effective guidebook for turning pioneering ideas into meaningful change.