What is a Thought Leader? Thought leaders are more than consultants. They have more on reserve than just objective analysis; they have a vision for innovation and improvement. They not only want to make your project the best it can be, they want to make the entire field or industry you work in the best it can be. They bring unforeseen insight into producing results, but also into producing integrity, health, sustainability, and positive impact. They attach themselves to ideas rather than companies-helping leaders move resolutely toward their values and visions, as well as toward their bottom line.

Michael R. Curry, president of the Curry Rockefeller Group LLC says, "Thought Leaders can be viewed as influential alchemists. They combine and distill a mix of research findings, experience, and their intuition into a precious commodity-the ability to guide their colleagues toward improved outcomes." Richard T. Minoff, president of Dorland Pharmaceuticals, puts it this way "(Thought leaders) set the stage or change a dynamic, or, sometimes, to debunk old perceptions, or simply help put issues into perspective."

The primary purpose of a Thought Leader - whether a person, a company, or a consortium - is to spur discussion and new ways of thinking; leading informed and productive discourse around a given topic. Thought Leaders flood every conversation with integrity, presenting fair and balanced information with an open mind. They are passionate and articulate, sometimes on both sides of an issue because they see the potential in all the possibilities.

Great Thought Leaders have distinctive characteristics:

• They are able to answer the most difficult questions and provide thoughtful and convincing answers.
• They are on the cutting edge in their field-with a commanding knowledge of recent trends and prevailing mentalities.
• They are respected in the field and have a broad sphere of influence-a Thought Leader's credibility is their most lucrative commodity.
• They have a robust knowledge of the given project, with suggestions for how to maximize its positive impact.

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