So You Want to Be a Thought Leader
It’s easy to say you want to be a thought leader. It sounds impressive. Aspirational. Maybe even a little glamorous. But the real question is: *Why* do you want to be one? Thought leadership is about stepping forward to help others see the world more clearly—and move forward with confidence. It’s not about fame, likes, or building a personal brand. It’s about making ideas useful, accessible, and actionable.
And that requires more than just having opinions. It requires intention.
Thought Leader or Influencer: What’s the Difference?
People often use these terms interchangably, but they are not the same. Influencers aim to sway opinions or behaviors, often through popularity, personal appeal, or access to trends and platforms. Their focus is typically short-term: engagement, likes, visibility. Thought leaders shape conversations by introducing original thinking. Their influence is rooted in depth, clarity, and the consistent delivery of ideas that actually help people solve problems or see things in a new light.
People recognize influencers for who they are. They respect though leaders for what they know—and how clearly they share it.
(You can dive deeper on this topic by listening to episode #367 from my podcast: Becoming a thought leader (not a thoughtless one).
Why People Aspire to Be Thought Leaders
People are drawn to the idea of thought leadership because they want to influence, guide, and shape conversations. Done right, thought leadership is a powerful force for good. You may be able to:
- Influence the future of your industry
- Inspire change in how people think or behave
- Build trust through your perspective and insights
- Help others grow by sharing what you’ve learned
It’s a chance to lead with your ideas, not just your title. Even better, it’s a chance to help others.
Thoughtless Leaders Chase Other Things
Unfortunately, many people believe being a thought leader is somehting one decides to do as part of a marketing campaign. In fact, servant-leadership most often paves the way to thought leadership. When people pursue thought leadership for the wrong reasons, the effort almost always rings hollow. Here are a few red flags:
- Seeking attention, not offering insight
- Craving credibility without earning it
- Trying to build a brand instead of a body of work
- Writing or speaking to look smart—not be helpful
In those cases, the terms “thought leader” and “influencer” become labels, not a legacy. And audiences can smell affectation and phoniness from a mile away.
Real Thought Leadership Requires Real Commitment
If you’re serious about becoming a thought leader, understand: It’s not a side hustle. It’s a long-term commitment to thinking deeply, speaking clearly, and showing up consistently.
- It requires working to understand your domain inside and out.
- It takes discipline to keep producing and refining your ideas.
- It demands self-awareness to know when you’re off base—and the humility to say so.
And perhaps most important, it asks you to get personal. People don’t want polished personas. They want real people who’ve wrestled with real issues, learned through experience, and are now willing to share what they’ve discovered.
5 Must-Have Traits of True Thought Leadership
Whether you’re emerging as a voice in your industry, or mentoring someone who is, keep these qualities in mind:
- A Clear and Compelling Perspective: You offer more than opinions—you offer insight.
- Credible Experience: You’ve lived it, learned from it, and now lead with it.
- Consistent Outreach: You don’t just show up once. You stick with it.
- Generosity: You give freely—your ideas, your time, your attention.
- Humility: You accept the responsibility and listen to others along the way.
Clarity is the Thought Leader’s Secret Weapon
You can’t lead with ideas if no one understands what you’re saying. That’s why clarity—and brevity—are critical. If your perspective is confusing, bloated, or buried in buzzwords, it won’t stick.
At The BRIEF Lab, we train professionals to:
- Think before they speak
- Get to the point—fast
- Translate complex thinking into clear messaging
- Say what matters (and cut the rest)
The best thought leaders aren’t the loudest. They’re the clearest.
Final Thought:
If you feel called to be a thought leader, great. But ask yourself: “Am I truly willing to think deeply, speak clearly, and give generously over time?” If your answer is “yes,” your ideas have the power to guide others. And that’s what true leadership looks like.
Joseph McCormack first shared these ideas in Episode 367 of the “Just Saying” podcast.
