Did You Know You're A Thought Leader?

The subject line of the email said, Learn how to make the most of your role as thought leader.

I've never been stopped in my tracks as quickly as that. I like to think I'm fairly up-to-date on words and phrases, but I honestly had no idea what that meant. What on earth is a thought leader, and how am I supposed to make the most of being one?

Yes, that is a classic example of a great email introduction. I added to their open rate within about 10 seconds of it hitting my inbox.

Here's the definition they gave: Become an influencer for your peers by providing valuable insight. A thought leader, or influencer, is someone who, based on their expertise and perspective in an industry, offers unique guidance, inspires innovation and influences others.

Everyone knows the word "influencer" from the many social media platforms we all frequent. We picture that beautiful woman posing in front of all the most scenic places, telling her audience all about planning a trip, packing a suitcase, arranging travel and looking beautiful while she does it all.

Or it's the wife/mom/businesswoman/Sunday school teacher/anything else you can think of. She posts videos about meal prep, at-home workouts, cleaning tips and how to keep the kids entertained every minute of every day of summer vacation. And she looks beautiful while she's doing it.

If this sounds like your definition of an influencer, too, this is the perfect time to lay that popular word aside and start thinking about yourself as a thought leader.

I'd like to go out on a limb, I'd guess that you talk to at least one person each day. And you're probably on social media at some point, just to keep in touch with friends and family. Even if you're just checking out at the grocery store, filling your gas tank or showing up for a doctor's appointment, you're interacting with people and using words. 

As a Christian woman, we are given dozens, hundreds and thousands of opportunities to be a thought leader for the cause of Christ. We're interacting, we're talking, we're sharing, we're encouraging and we're loving as many people as we possibly can. And each of these moments is a time for us to share our perspective in living a life sold out to the Lord, our expertise in how He's changed us for the better, offer some unique guidance to those who are going through situations He has already brought us through and inspire other women to keep on keeping on.

So please don't think you can't be a thought leader because you don't have thousands of followers, anything you're an expert at or the education necessary to be an influencer. It may just take a verse of Scripture quoted at just the right time.

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exaltheth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5

Thought leader, take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. When you do, and share how God has helped you do that, you're influencing who knows how many other women. We're being watched by both younger Christian women and the unsaved women we'll come into contact with every day. You are so important in influencing women in the right, godly way.

Ok, Thought Leader, how will you influence someone today?