Thought leadership
‘Thought leadership’ is an activity that comes from being a ‘thought leader’, whether that is an individual, a firm, educational establishment, government agency, institution and so on.
Thought leadership provides informed opinions, proposals, insights and conclusions, usually from leaders in their field or in a particular branch of knowledge. When promulgated, this should be backed up by research or innovative thinking and bring new understanding to a particular topic. Thought leaders are usually trusted sources who can generate innovative ideas that may be inspirational and possibly replicable.
Thought leadership may be presented to a target audience through lectures, television, radio, webinars, podcasts, articles, white papers and so on. The latter are usually employed by engineering, high-tech companies, institutions and government agencies to promote their authority and leadership.
Individuals can also be thought leaders. But when thought leadership is associated with commercial enterprises, it is regarded in some quarters as more akin to content marketing, where the talent, knowledge and specialisms inside that company are used to promote a particular theme that will bring it benefits. In doing this, some firms publish ‘white papers’ highlighting the economic benefits of what they are promoting. However, these are distinct from ‘technical white papers’ which tend to answer important questions in the minds of the target audience and generate unique ideas.
More often than not, thought leadership is a tool companies use to raise their profile in the marketplace and/or increase demand for their products or services. They present a unique point of view on a particular topic which may not in fact be new but has been tweaked to differentiate the company’s offering from that of its competitors. However, if a company uses thought leadership in this way to highlight its offering and establish superiority over its competitors it may risk losing the trust of its audience. It is for this reason that some detractors have condemned thought leadership as meaningless management speak.
Philosophers too, might argue that the very concept of thought leadership is an oxymoron as – if thought is a logical process undertaken by rational people – the concept of a ‘leader’ in thought is illogical.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
Featured articles and news
Deputy editor of AT, Tim Fraser, discusses the newly formed society with its current chair, Chris Halligan MCIAT.
Barratt Lo-E passivhaus standard homes planned enmasse
With an initial 728 Lo-E homes across two sites and many more planned for the future.
Government urged to uphold Warm Homes commitment
ECA and industry bodies write to Government concerning its 13.2 billion Warm Homes manifesto commitment.
Places of Worship in Britain and Ireland, 1929-1990. Book review.
The emancipation of women in art.
CIOB Construction Manager of the Year 2025
Just one of the winners at the CIOB Awards 2025.
Call for independent National Grenfell oversight mechanism
MHCLG share findings of Building Safety Inquiry in letter to Secretary of State and Minister for Building Safety.
The Architectural Technology Awards
AT Awards now open for this the sixth decade of CIAT.
50th Golden anniversary ECA Edmundson awards
Deadline for submissions Friday 30 May 2025.
The benefits of precast, off-site foundation systems
Top ten benefits of this notable innovation.
Encouraging individuals to take action saving water at home, work, and in their communities.
Takes a community to support mental health and wellbeing
The why of becoming a Mental Health Instructor explained.
Mental health awareness week 13-18 May
The theme is communities, they can provide a sense of belonging, safety, support in hard times, and a sense purpose.
Mental health support on the rise but workers still struggling
CIOB Understanding Mental Health in the Built Environment 2025 shows.
Design and construction material libraries
Material, sample, product or detail libraries a key component of any architectural design practice.
Construction Products Reform Green Paper and Consultation
Still time to respond as consultation closes on 21 May 2025.
Resilient façade systems for smog reduction in Shanghai
A technical approach using computer simulation and analysis of solar radiation, wind patterns, and ventilation.