We need less “thought leaders” and more “thought followers.”
Allow me to lean into semantics for a moment.
More and more, I’m seeing people refer to themselves as thought leaders. Heck, I’m sure I’ve done it myself in the not too distant past. But now I am questioning this concept.
The implication in calling yourself a thought leader is that you’re leading the discussion. That your ideas are so novel and brilliant that people sit in rapt attention, waiting to hear what magnificence might drip from your pen or your mouth next.
I say that tongue in cheek — I know most people don’t actually think of themselves that way. But consider this:
The first step in real leadership is listening. If you’re always leading the conversation, you’re not actually listening to your team. Leaders feel the pressure to have the answers — some mix of imposter syndrome and genuine desire to lead. But often leadership is instead the act of tuning into the thoughts that are in the room. The leadership is in the curiosity and probing around what exists and making space for what’s already there.
Then comes the dot-connecting and the “thought gathering.” How does it all tie together? If you follow the bouncing thought ball, where does it lead? How does it connect to your overarching strategy, and what might come next? In this way, it’s more about pattern recognition than originating the ideas.
Finally, how do we put thought into action? The “thought doing.” Sometimes the best thoughts get lost in the quagmire of the day to day. How do we ensure that we are leading the action? How have we set up our teams for success with the clarity, accountability, and motivation to put their best thoughts into action?
What would it look like to do less thought leading and more thought following of your amazing team?
Leadership doesn’t require you to have all the brilliant ideas. It does require you to listen and follow along so that you can take the next right action.
Thoughts?