The Thoughtless Leader

Never Call Yourself a Thought Leader

“It was so cleverly stupid and unoriginal, and also so convincing, that the leaders cannot help but regard him as safe and sure...”

from Martin Eden by Jack London

When a thought is defined as “an idea produced by thinking,” does that mean a Thoughtless Leader does not think?

Many companies and many executives like to describe themselves as Thought Leaders. They want to be recognized as an authority in their field, as the one with the original thinking that others follow. I would argue that those true original thinkers are a very rare breed. Most Leaders do one of two things: 

-       They did have a unique idea once; they did bring originality and change to their organization. However, the idea goes back years and has since been recycled and reclaimed many times, to the point that the idea has outlived its time.

-       Most often, though, leaders are great listeners, readers, and learners. They take others’ thoughts that are relevant to their organization, develop a deep understanding, and then apply them successfully. A great skill, and not a Thoughtless Leader at all. For those Leaders, though, I would repeat Sangram Vajre’s advice, “never call yourself a Thought Leader.”

On Glassdoor some company leader are labeled as “thoughtless.” Some of those that have left comments were likely thinking of synonyms like inconsiderate, uncaring, or stupid when describing a Thoughtless Leader. I am thinking more of someone that is unoriginal, a Leader whose words lack any sense of originality. And worse, they are directly regurgitating – repeating without analyzing or comprehending - what others have said before. 

A Thoughtless Leader also lacks one of the most critical leadership traits: Authenticity. Because real leadership is the exact opposite of regurgitation. Matthew Jones finds that “when spending time with … leaders, their genuine confidence in their thoughts and feelings helps you clarify your own. It's as if they model their decision-making process and, through doing so, reveal yours.”

So, let’s call a spade a spade, the individual we have been talking about is not a Leader. Maybe we should call him a Regurgitating Person. “That’s exactly what I think” is probably this person’s most commonly used phrase.

Does that sound like someone you work with?

How can we help your organization to be thoughtful?

__________________

Sangram Vajre – 3 Reasons You Should Never Call Yourself a Thought Leader

Matthew Jones – The Most Effective Leaders All Have One Thing in Common: Authenticity