What is a “thought leader”? 

What is a “thought leader”? 

And what in the world is a self-appointed thought leader?!

I am increasingly observing people declaring themselves as “thought leaders”.  They are not “leading my thoughts”.  So, what exactly does it mean?

Actually, I own my own thoughts.  So do you.  And those thoughts come from a lot of places and times in our lives that bring us some kind of meaning, good or bad.  Our thoughts, combined with our emotions and contrasted with experience, are unique to each of us, framing our opinions and ideas about things.

In this very noisy world, with so many people competing for attention and recognition, there are too many "thought leaders" who are self-declared, and bloviating to those who will listen. That is not how real leadership works...despite the noise, I get to choose who my "thought leaders" are. I get to name them!  They don’t get to choose for me, and tell me that they are my thought leaders with any credibility.  

But are they provoking in me new ideas, new energies, and new ways of thinking about what I am doing and how I am doing it?   If they are: I. Get. To. Choose.

I will gladly designate someone who does that for me as a "thought leader", MY CHOICE. But self-appointed? I believe that is called arrogance.

What are your thoughts?