The web and innovation culture have given us access to countless ‘thought leaders’ and inspired us with bold new ways of thinking about what’s possible. Now, organizations and individuals are looking to one another for "thought partnership"—conversations that help them turn inspiration into strategy. 

Thought partnership is the practice of sharing ideas and experience with others to help them navigate complex challenges. This sounds a lot like advice or mentorship, but the key difference is that thought partnership is always mutually beneficial. When you pair with people who think like you do, you resonate—becoming a ‘sounding board’ for each others’ best ideas. When you pair with people who think differently than you do, you complement—stretching each others’ view of a situation to find and sort useful new approaches to a problem.

To understand what you could offer—or may want to look for—as a thought partner, you have to first understand your own thinking and areas of expertise.

Once you have a good idea of what kind of thought partnership you can offer, you can get to work letting your clients and colleagues know what kind of thinker you are and what you’re thinking about.

Learn more about different types of thought partnership and how to get started by reading the full article here: