March 28, 2007
THE NATIONAL RETAIL FEDERATION AND THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
I received a press release this morning touting the launch of the National Retail Federation's "newly-designed interactive and user friendly website." When I arrive at the site, this is the first thing I see (click to see a larger view):
For the uninitiated, the term "thought leader" or "thought leadership" is used to describe a person who is recognized among his or her peers for innovative ideas, and who demonstrates the confidence to promote those ideas in a variety of settings, i.e., writing, blogging, speaking, publishing, training, presenting, etc..
For the National Retail Federation--or any organization for that matter--to claim that "it" is thought leadership is disingenuous and absurd.
Organizations like the NFR are only as strong as their members, and as we all know, members of organizations come and go, just like beauty queens in one annual parade after another. Thought leadership cannot be proclaimed or instituted, and it certainly cannot occur by simply throwing a picture up on a Web site of a bunch a suits talking about who-knows-what.
The National Retail Federation is a great organization. I receive a lot of work-related benefits and insights by being able to tap into their resources. That being said, let me decide for myself who has thought leadership characteristics. Telling me youíre a thought leader without qualifying the statement only makes you look pompous and the rest of us skeptical.
Posted by Mikal at March 28, 2007 9:20 AM
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Marketing at it's finest! Organizations positioning themselves in this way make me suspicious...I immediately look for proof. Good marketing is truly a wonderful thing, but in this day and age, we require that marketing organizations must be bullet proof in how they deliver their products and services.
This post reminded me of your views (which I now share) of clapping for a speaker before they've spoken. We're often asked at business conferences, summits, or meetings to "welcome" someone in this way, but why? Shouldn't we as listeners wait to hear what is said first and then decide whether or not we applaud the message and the person delivering it?
Declaring your own thought leadership without qualifiers is like asking me to clap for something or someone I haven't listened to yet. Once I hear/read your so-called thought-leading ideas then I'LL decide for myself.
Dude, speaking of clapping, have you ever attended a orchestral concerts? The conductor comes out before the playing starts, and everybody claps and he bows (which I guess is okay if he is a prominent conductor and we're just all freakin' excited to see him). But half of the rest of the show is people clapping, the director and soloists bowing, walking off stage, coming back, bowing some more, blowing kisses, walking off stage then coming back... and on and on. And then some weirdo presents flowers in a pre-planned flower-giving. Crazy. But hey, I'm all for tradition... so yay!
