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Mariaan Van Zyl

Did you know that influential thought leaders are often perceived as industry experts, leading to increased recognition and opportunities?

This Short Course was created to help professionals in any industry accomplish the goal of becoming influential thought leaders.

By completing this course, you'll be able to elevate your professional reputation, attract more clients or opportunities, and establish yourself as a trusted authority in your field, all of which can directly impact your career growth and success.

Read more

Did you know that influential thought leaders are often perceived as industry experts, leading to increased recognition and opportunities?

This Short Course was created to help professionals in any industry accomplish the goal of becoming influential thought leaders.

By completing this course, you'll be able to elevate your professional reputation, attract more clients or opportunities, and establish yourself as a trusted authority in your field, all of which can directly impact your career growth and success.

More specifically, in this 90 minute course, you will learn how to examine the foundations of influence and define opportunities for growing your influence, discover how to leverage self-awareness and personal branding to establish yourself as a thought leader, and investigate strategies for sustaining and expanding your influence, including developing unique insights, creating compelling content, and effectively communicating your expertise.

This project is unique because it provides practical strategies and actionable insights that you can implement immediately to enhance your influence and impact. In order to be successful in this course, you will need a basic understanding of your industry and a willingness to engage in self-reflection and personal branding activities.

Enroll now

What's inside

Syllabus

Growing Your Influence
Embark on an exploratory journey to amplify your voice and elevate your position to that of a thought leader. This course is crafted to equip you with a deep understanding of influence dynamics, personal branding, and effective communication strategies. By embarking on this adventure, you'll learn how to elevate your voice, ideas, and insights, transforming them into powerful tools for change and innovation.
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Lesson 1: Foundations of Influence
In this lesson, we will examine the underlying principles of influence, offering insights into how personal awareness and branding are pivotal in establishing your presence as a thought leader.
Lesson 2: Amplifying Your Influence
In this lesson, we'll explore how to boost your impact by networking, maximizing your expertise, and improving your thought leadership with self-awareness. You'll learn to use social proof, how to showcase your skills, and connect with your community to grow your influence.
Lesson 3: Sustaining Your Influence
In this lesson, we will discover methods to effectively maintain and manage their influence. We'll examine factors that contribute to maintaining influence and create proactive plans to sustain their desired level within your areas of expertise. Highlighting the importance of being consistent, adaptable, and continuously growing, you will understand how to increase and sustain influence over time. This lesson stresses the significance of continually improving and monitoring influence levels, while also identifying chances for growth.

Good to know

Know what's good
, what to watch for
, and possible dealbreakers
Introduces core principles of influence, offering insights into how personal awareness and branding are pivotal in establishing thought leadership
Guides learners to analyze the foundations of influence and pinpoint opportunities for growth, empowering them to amplify their presence as thought leaders
Examines effective communication strategies for thought leaders, delving into techniques for amplifying impact through networking, social proof, and articulation of expertise
Teaches learners to sustain and extend their influence, covering strategies such as continual improvement, monitoring of influence levels, and identifying avenues for growth
Provides a foundation for learners to build their influence as thought leaders, making it suitable for individuals seeking to establish their expertise and credibility
Course content is delivered by Mariaan Van Zyl, an experienced professional in the field, adding credibility to the learning experience

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Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Growing your Influence with these activities:
Read “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion” by Robert Cialdini
Delve into the principles of influence and persuasion by reading Robert Cialdini's seminal work, providing a strong theoretical foundation for your exploration of thought leadership.
Show steps
  • Purchase or borrow the book
  • Read and comprehend each chapter
  • Summarize key concepts and principles
Review previous knowledge and experiences related to thought leadership
Reflect on your past experiences and knowledge in thought leadership and personal branding, connecting them to the course content and identifying areas for further development.
Browse courses on Thought Leadership
Show steps
  • Identify relevant past experiences and knowledge
  • Summarize key takeaways from those experiences
  • Relate past experiences to the course concepts
Organize and review course materials
Gather and organize course materials, including lecture notes, readings, and assignments, to enhance your understanding and retention of the key concepts.
Show steps
  • Collect all relevant course materials
  • Create a filing system or digital repository
  • Review and annotate materials
Five other activities
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Practice self-reflection to identify strengths and areas for improvement
Engage in self-reflection exercises to gain a deeper understanding of your strengths and weaknesses, enabling you to develop a tailored plan for building your thought leadership.
Browse courses on Self-Awareness
Show steps
  • Introspect on your experiences and accomplishments
  • Identify patterns and themes in your strengths and weaknesses
  • Develop strategies to leverage your strengths and overcome weaknesses
Attend industry events and conferences
Attend industry events and conferences to connect with professionals in your field, share ideas, and gain insights that will enhance your thought leadership journey.
Browse courses on Networking
Show steps
  • Research and identify relevant events
  • Prepare an elevator pitch to introduce yourself and your ideas
  • Engage in meaningful conversations with attendees
  • Follow up with potential connections
Participate in workshops on thought leadership development
Enroll in workshops that focus on developing thought leadership skills, providing you with structured guidance and expert insights to accelerate your growth.
Show steps
  • Identify and register for relevant workshops
  • Actively participate in discussions and exercises
  • Apply what you learn to your own thought leadership journey
Develop a thought leadership blog or article
Create a blog post or article that showcases your expertise and insights on a specific topic, demonstrating your ability to communicate complex ideas effectively and establish yourself as a thought leader.
Browse courses on Thought Leadership
Show steps
  • Identify a relevant and compelling topic
  • Conduct research and gather insights
  • Craft a well-structured and engaging article
  • Publish and promote your article
Mentor aspiring thought leaders
Share your knowledge and experience by mentoring aspiring thought leaders, deepening your understanding of thought leadership while guiding others on their journey.
Browse courses on Mentoring
Show steps
  • Identify potential mentees
  • Establish a mentoring relationship
  • Provide guidance and support on thought leadership development
  • Evaluate progress and adjust mentoring approach

Career center

Learners who complete Growing your Influence will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Reading list

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