What is the future of thought leadership?

That was the question explored high above Manhattan as the National Digital Roundtable and LinkedIn co-hosted the latest quarterly conversation in our series on the future of digital influence.

This session marked a milestone: our first-ever National Digital Roundtable in New York City, hosted by LinkedIn inside the iconic Empire State Building.

As traditional outlets for op-eds and commentary shrink, leaders are turning to new platforms such as LinkedIn to share insights, build trust, and shape the conversations that matter most. The discussion brought together experts in communications, policy, and digital strategy to explore how these shifts are redefining leadership and visibility in the social media age.

Here are a few takeaways from the conversation:

Trust is shifting from institutions to individuals. To stand out, organizations must empower people, not just brands, to lead conversations authentically.

Build a community, not just an audience. The strongest thought leadership happens through dialogue and connection, both online and offline.

Video and authenticity win. Combining facts with emotion makes content memorable. A CEO’s story, and sometimes even their dog, can say more than a press release ever could.

Grow thought leaders at every level. Do not stop at the CEO. Equip voices across your organization to represent your mission in credible, consistent ways.

Measure what matters. The ROI of thought leadership is not follower counts. It is influence, credibility, and the one conversation that changes everything.

Balance control and authenticity. The best programs blend brand guardrails with genuine human expression, creating the kind of creative tension that defines modern communications.

A special thank you to our hosts, Christina Maruna, Moniqua (Banks) Dadosky, Erica Pyatt, and Amber Naslund, for welcoming us, and to everyone who joined the discussion.

As one participant shared afterward, “These talks are always engaging and dynamic. I left with a new piece of strategy to test, which is awesome.”

Here’s to many more National Digital Roundtables across the country, but we will always remember our first in the Empire State Building.

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