Is “thought leadership” just the same as good leadership?

“Thought leadership” was coined in 1994 by Joel Kurzman, the economist and editor of Strategy & Business magazine. He intended the term to describe managers with innovative, original perspectives and a deep understanding of the market and customer needs. 

Thought leaders are also generally regarded as credible and sought after for their skills. But so are all good leaders. Likewise, a thought leader is an expert on some issue and someone whose ideas influence others. This sounds very similar to an influencer, and indeed it is.  

Old wine in new bottles?

The literature on “thought leadership” reveals that it describes and deals with familiar characteristics and traits associated with good and effective leadership. In other words, good leaders, among other positive traits, inevitably influence the thoughts of those being led.   

One definition of “effective leader”, from an article by the Center for Creative Leadership, states that such individuals should have “learning agility” and “flex their influence while communicating the vision, showing gratitude, and collaborating effectively”. A look at the full article confirms that good leadership and thought leadership are basically synonymous.