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Thought leadership is a contemporary business term that essentially describes leaders' ambition to be regarded as experts and credible sources of information in their respective fields. The hallmark of thought leadership is recognizing trends before they occur and applying that understanding to improve the outcome. It is not only a mindset but also a competency that elevates your skills as someone with the insights to achieve actual and valuable business results. 

A forward-looking thought leadership approach is pertinent no matter the PM industry we operate in. But how do we acquire the necessary skills and knowledge as project leaders to reap the benefits?

Confidence and self-awareness go a long way in enabling you to strengthen your position as a true thought leader. However, attaining such a status is not granted but earned through the successful delivery of business objectives. Successful planning, execution, and constraint management earn you respect as a project professional. Skills are not always easy to quantify, nor does it have metrics to measure the effects. Experience helps to build credibility and recognition; then, it comes down to garnering trust.

Key to every successful project and a long-lasting business relationship is effectively building trust, not only with team members and other stakeholders but also among everyone. By motivating your team to work harder and collaboratively and encouraging them to go the extra mile, you develop a robust and inspired team that will considerably contribute to successful execution and realizing business growth.

As project professionals, we aspire to be the go-to resources people turn to whenever they need help or advice regarding a particular matter, topic, issue, or trend. We strive to know how to adequately address any problem or project and provide the best possible solution or execution for it. 

Establishing your most authentic self through individual opinions, unique perspectives, and avid discussions may help you gain extensive exposure and set you up as a pioneer in the project, program, or portfolio management field. Then, document your journey, share your insights, help others learn from your mistakes, and create a cohesive environment for novice PMs to excel.

PMI's thought leadership content elaborates on the big questions of the PM profession. To learn more and to read the latest reports, visit https://www.pmi.org/learning/thought-leadership.