Many people try to capture public consciousness for a purpose, but few become true thought leaders. As agents of change, most leaders of small nonprofits or social enterprises understand the importance of building support for those ideas and issues that impact the community-at-large. Thought leadership represents an opportunity to move the needle on an issue. It allows an individual or an organization to leverage an often-overlooked asset – intellectual capital to build awareness and create important dialogues. Thanks to social media, today there are ways to connect with stakeholders, allowing for more expedient connections and sharing of ideas. Creating a plan of action around the specific topic that you want to speak on and finding the appropriate channels to share it can help you to create a strong leadership platform. This workshop will explore ways to harness big ideas, interject your opinion and create dialogues and connection that lead to change. We will review the basics of creating a thought leadership platform and leveraging your assets on social media to build community and awareness.

1. Thought Leadership
for Social Change
Raising Your Voice in
140 Characters or Less
Vanessa Wakeman
@wakemanagency
#thoughtleadership

2. ABOUT "WE ARE THE PEOPLE
BEHIND THE PEOPLE
ON THE FOREFRONT
OF SOCIAL CHANGE“

3. AGENDA
Thought Leadership: What and Why1
2
3
4
5
Leveraging Social Media
The Phases of Thought Leadership
Thought Leadership Actions
Q&A

4. What Is Thought Leadership?
• Webster’s Dictionary
– One whose views on a subject are taken to be authoritative and
influential.
• Wikipedia
– An individual or firm that is recognized as an authority in a
specialized field and whose expertise is sought and often
rewarded.
• Vanessa Wakeman
– An individual that commits to contributing valuable, original
thinking and fresh ideas on a subject to benefit the greater good.
The individual is in service to the issue or innovation with the goal
of fostering change.

5. Your Biggest Goal as a True Thought Leader…
To be in service to the issue or innovation.

6. Am I saying
something different?
the
$1,000,000
Questions
Am I comfortable
having people disagree
with me?
Am I willing to be
transparent, vulnerable
and authentic?

7. What Do Thought Leaders Do?
• Assert their point of view
• Serve as stewards of new ideas
• Innovate and create change
• Guide their communities toward a new way
of thinking

8. Identification
Disruption
Evolution
Action
What Are You Thinking?
Make some noise
Creating Change
The beginning of
a movement
THE
IDEA

9. Why Is This
Important for
Social
Change?
Building credibility
Strengthening relationships
Building a movement
Creating awareness/
call-to-action

10. What Are The Benefits to Leveraging
Social Media For Thought Leadership?
• No invitation needed/highly accessible
• Connect with/find your tribe
• 6 degrees of separation
• Feedback loop/real-time engagement

11. What platforms do
I use?
Go where your audience is
Test, experiment play
Have fun with it!

12. make a
splash!
JUMP
IN

13. ID tweetable
sentences
or thoughts
Write a
blog post
Create
visuals for
Instagram
DIY Videos
Getting Started

14. The Three Phases of
Thought Leadership
Phase 3
Yes
Phase 2
Sticky
Phase 1
Doubt

15. This is painful.
Phase 1
Doubt

16. Hey, they know
my name!
Phase 2
Sticky

17. Phase 3
Yes
Have your people
call my people.

18. Do You Know
Who You Want
to Reach?

19. Is Anyone Really Listening To Me?
Your
Unique
Thinking
Opportunity
Issue
or
Innovation

20. How Do You Share?
Bite-sized nuggets for swift consumption
Authentic
Helpful
Practical

21. Listen for
Other
Opinions

22. Thought Leadership Audiences
Followers
Wallflowers
Rejecters

23. Revenue
Generation
Influence
Opinion
Thought Leadership Dollars and Sense
Revitalize and
Re-energize Your
Organization's Position
Rally
Support

24. Thought
Leadership
Actions
Active Listening
and Sharing
IDEA
Consistency

25. Q&A

26. @WakemanAgency
Facebook.com/wakemanagency
vwakeman@thewakemanagency.com
www.TheWakemanAgency.com
ContactUs
New York City
60 East 42nd Street, 46th Floor
New York, NY 10165
T/F: (212) 500-5953
White Plains
445 Hamilton Avenue #1102
White Plains, NY 10601
T/F: (212) 500-5953
Silicon Valley
955 Benecia Avenue
Sunnyvale, CA 94085
T/F: (408) 663-6770