As I mentioned last week, I am in the midst of sharing some of the interview questions asked of me by Matt Goddard of R2i. After disclosing my thoughts on the power of opinion leaders, Matt went on to ask:
Are Opinion Leaders and Thought Leaders the same thing?
This is a great question – and an important distinction. Again, there are numerous definitions floating around out there, but the critical difference is that Thought Leaders don’t necessarily have a personal relationship with the audience who listens to them. For instance, Robert Reich would be considered a Thought Leader in the area of labor economics, and I might read his writings to inform my knowledge on the subject as part of a decision-making process relative to growing the human capital at Community Analytics. But, he is not the person I will call or meet with to get advice. I would meet with three of my trusted advisors here in Baltimore about specific issues or decisions that arise as part of developing and implementing a strategic plan to achieve that growth.
What do you think?
