|
Friday’s Phrase: "thought leadership" |
|
|
|
Saturday, 31 July 2004 |
30
July, 2004: Accountants, marketeers, propeller-heads and C-level
executives are near the top when it comes to generating new forms of
'newspeak', but consultants win out every time. Here's a hideous
example: "thought leadership"…
While some pieces of jargon and 'buzz-phraseology' are deliberately
designed to confuse or otherwise place the listener at a disadvantage,
others are just pretentious. Think no further than: "thought
leadership"…
The reason why this qualifies as a Friday's Phrase
is not because of what it actually says but because of the dollops of
self-satisfaction and sheer arrogance which it heaps atop the rather
bald concept which it connotes. Given the appearance of the terms
'self-satisfaction and 'arrogance', it will come as no surprise that
"thought leadership" is the preserve of consultants and those who have
fallen under their spell (who then justify the expense of attending
these courses by spouting this piffle onwards to their colleagues and
workmates".
"Thought
leadership" is typically preceded by the term "we will provide…". This
surely begs the question of where the term 'gagging order' comes from,
since in railing against this nonsense you have to prevent yourself
from being physically sick.Anyone who lays claim to "thought
leadership" patently can not lay claim to it. The distinction is not
too disimilar from that which surrounds the term "visibility".
For
most of us ordinary mortals, "thought leadership" means no more than
trying to work out what is going on and what may happen next – and how
to react to it. This does not seem like too stupid an idea.
From
the mouths of consultants, "thought leadership" means not much more
than 'brain-washing' and the definition of a 'client-servile'
relationship in which the clients are servile and the consultants are
omniscient and for ever in search of repeat business.
Food for thought, if not leadership…
Jim Chalmers
|
