If everyone’s a ‘thought leader’, who’s doing all the work?
The Content Brewery founder Malcolm Auld considers why the pool of knowledge among thought leaders is really just ankle-deep.
It used to be simple. Certain people were regarded as experts, because well, they were. They’d tasted blood. Their years of hands-on experience included documented successes (and failures) – proof of their expertise. Their writings, speeches or interviews helped educate others via real life case studies, anecdotes, examples and advice. Their business achievements and industry wisdom were regarded as testimony to their expertise.
David Ogilvy: Actual thought leader
In the advertising world, my old boss David Ogilvy was one, along with Claude Hopkins, Leo Burnett and the like.
Most experts gained their wisdom through setbacks and failure – not just success. Hence the adage: always sail with mariners who have been shipwrecked, for they know where the reefs are.
Great headline, Thought leadership has got out of control and is becoming mostly meaningless.
Isn’t this thought leadership?
Nope – it’s an opinion piece.
Standalone. Not continuing or building an argument. Not written to help solicit others’ contributions to the thesis.
Which by the way highlights another blight on our industry: “authors” who think because they write an opinion piece or multiple opinion pieces that they are now thought leaders. (I don’t mean Malcolm; he seems well aware of what he’s doing.)
So Malcolm has no investment in getting this piece published other than to share his wisdom? Despite his connection to a business called the Content Brewery? And this being the second piece of his ‘slamming content marketing’ that Mumbrella has published this week? “All CM is crap. Come to the Content Brewery for Real Quality Content.” Pot. Kettle. Etc.
The people making all the money are the ones selling light brown jackets and blue jeans, the official uniform of the keynote speech.
Crushing It In Sacramento is coming up soon.
Nice article. Nothing says real thought leadership like brazen sarcasm and knowledgeable irony.
Burn them with fire
Bravo Malcolm.
And to paraphrase Paul Keating … you could wade through the deepest thoughts of a thought leader and still not get your ankles wet.
Suggested reading: The Death of Expertise.