A thought leader needs three things: connection (your network and reach), subject-matter expertise (demonstrated through work like books or music), and clarity (communicating ideas clearly). Beyoncé exemplifies expertise in R&B and hip-hop. Without all three, you're just an influencer or isolated expert.
So I actually have a couple models too. So I'm going to share my basic model, which is what makes a thought leader. So I look at 3 things. One is what I call the connection. So how many people do they know? So people, who are their best friends? Who are their broad network? Who are the people that follow them? That's what we call influence. Now, there are influencers who are not thought leaders. Why? Correct. Because they're missing number 2, which is subject matter expertise. Have you actually built expertise around something, whatever it might be, it can be anything, But are you writing books and are you writing journals? Are you doing videos? Are you putting content out there? Are you doing stuff? So Beyoncé is a subject matter expertise in R&B and hip-hop because she's writing songs and putting that creative stuff out there. Sure. And that makes her a subject matter expert. Now, there are subject matter experts who don't have as much influence because maybe they just do training at a local community center, but no one else knows about them and they have no social media presence. Sure. So that— and then the third piece is you also want to have clarity and you want to be—
