Annick presented a case study of how Weber Shandwick assists corporate clients with implementing thought leadership in their organization.

1. How to implement thought leadership in
organisations
Rotterdam
26 February 2014

2. ©WEBER SHANDWICK 2012 All rights reserved
IN THE ROOM AND IN THE BACKGROUND
Leslie Gaines-Ross
Chief Reputation Strategist
Weber Shandwick
Annick Boyen
CEO
Weber Shandwick Benelux
http://reputationxchange.com

3. ABOUT US

4. ©WEBER SHANDWICK 2012 All rights reserved
WEBER SHANDWICK FAST FACTS
Over 30% of our work is
international
500+ awards in
7 years
EMEA
Agency
of the
year
1 endorsement of our
global account
management approachThought leaders
across the globe
129 offices in 81
markets
Average client
relationship 7 years
2500 people

5. How we help clients
to implement thought
leadership

6. ©WEBER SHANDWICK 2012 All rights reserved
For today’s focus
Source: Van Halderen, Kettler-Paddock and Badings (2013), How to differentiate your company and stand out from the crowd: thought leadership, e-book: http://www.thoughtleadershipstrategy.net/free-e-books-download/

7. Challenges in pushing
thought leadership on the board’s agenda

8. ©WEBER SHANDWICK 2012 All rights reserved
When implemented, the thought leadership platform will:
• Fit leadership priorities and beliefs
• Fit/extend the company’s strategy online and offline
• Be multifaceted, extendable
• Be truly differentiated
• Resonate with: customers, employees, stakeholders
• Reinforce brand personality
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9. ©WEBER SHANDWICK 2012 All rights reserved
Concerns to overcome
• Who ‘owns’ the programme (coms, marketing, digital, IR, legal, HR)
• Capacity issues : I have a day job / billable target
• Career enhancer or career stopper?
• The proof of the pudding is in the eating

10. ©WEBER SHANDWICK 2012 All rights reserved
• Simple enough to travel fast
• Repeated often enough to sustain attention
• Specific enough to guide action
• Credible, believable, grounded in reality
• Inspires passion
Elements of successful thought leadership programmes

11. 11
Is thought leadership
morphing into content
marketing?