Industry Thought Leader. You see the term popping up in the business and start-up worlds. But what exactly is it? And why is thought leadership so valuable to your career?
Industry thought leaders are people who create new ideas and cast vision in a specific industry. They’re connectors and innovators who inspire audiences with their strategic thinking. There’s no straight path to becoming an industry thought leader. But the most successful leaders have at least a graduate-level education, which gives weight to their words and helps them build their personal brands.
Take a look at a few highly influential thought leaders — and find out how choosing a graduate school is a great launchpad for becoming a top industry expert!
Seth Godin
MBA in Marketing
Marketing guru Seth Godin is famous for his books, blogs, and business expertise. He received his MBA in Marketing, and after years of working as a brand manager and founding his own book packaging business, he created his now-famous idea of permission marketing. He’s a prolific writer and speaker, and his books are well-respected in the marketing industry. Forbes Magazine writer Carine Alexis named his 2016 book, All Marketers Are Liars, as one of six essential books every marketer should own. Seth’s experience in marketing was undoubtedly shaped by his graduate degree, giving him the experience he needed to become one of the biggest thought leaders in the marketing industry today.
Rita Gunther McGrath
Masters of Public Administration
Rita Gunther McGrath is a renowned public speaker, leadership consultant, professor, and expert in business strategy. She holds an MPA and a Ph.D. and speaks on organizational leadership, business innovation, and adversity. A master’s degree in Public Administration prepares students for a career in public service and helps them develop and implement public policies and programs. This graduate degree — along with her experience — undoubtedly shaped McGrath’s innovative and thoughtful leadership skills, earning her a spot on the Top 10 Thinkers list in 2013 by Thinkers50.
Roy Atkinson
Master’s Certificate in Advanced Management Strategy
Roy Atkinson is well-known in the tech support world. He’s a popular speaker at HDI conferences and blogs regularly at ThinkHDI.com, the association for technical support professionals. Atkinson has an active network on social media, where he offers expertise on IT service management and customer support. Atkinson’s background shows that a graduate-level education in Business Management can complement expertise in another field, providing the skills needed to build a brand and manage a business. Atkinson’s tech experience coupled with a certificate in management strategy prepared him to be a leading industry expert in the customer service and IT support world.
Sallie Krawcheck
MBA
Sallie Krawcheck is an industry expert on finance, tech, startups, women in the workplace, and more. She’s a bestselling author, has over 48,000 followers on Twitter, and is the CEO and co-founder of Ellevest. She earned an MBA from Columbia Business School, which served as a starting point for her incredibly successful career in business. Because of her background, education, and experience, Krawcheck offers a unique voice as a female thought leader in the business world.
Becoming an industry expert doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time to build the experience, expertise, and brand that set you apart from everyone else in your industry. But what’s one thing most leading industry innovators have in common? A graduate degree or certificate!
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