> Null hypothesis would imply we should treat them no different than other influencers. Unless you've evidence otherwise?
So what exactly is your definition of a "thought leader?" How do you treat them "no different than other influencers" without closing yourself off to current ideas?
IMHO, social media "influencers" should be totally ignored, but the people active in public life should be engaged with, if skeptically.
I guess, the broad definition is just someone who's good at selling their thoughts to other people. Maybe it's because they have a popular podcast, or maybe they were a former head of state.
There's no general reason I should inherently trust these people aren't being biased by third parties.
In my career, it's a term I would never apply to myself and I roll my eyes a bit if someone else used it to describe me. In general, I'd say it's "supposed" to mean someone who is smart about understanding and anticipating current and future trends. But I find it a bit cringey in general.
So what exactly is your definition of a "thought leader?" How do you treat them "no different than other influencers" without closing yourself off to current ideas?
IMHO, social media "influencers" should be totally ignored, but the people active in public life should be engaged with, if skeptically.