Thought Leader, Early Adopter or Sheep Walker?

Every field, every industry, every tribe has its jargon and I think there's a place for it, albeit limited. It can serve as shorthand, a quick and ready reference for those who need to communicate complexities in a quick and ready way to people within the group. Understanding the jargon (and being prepared to use it) often gives one an "in", a way of identifying with and becoming a part of the group. Speaking the same language, whatever language that might be, is undeniably a good thing if one wants to communicate in a rich and meaningful way and specialist terminology and jargon are a valid part of a group's language. All good stuff. 

But... and this is a big BUT, I am increasingly infuriated by how jargon is loaded with value judgements and how often it serves more to exclude than to include. Or to denigrate the majority. 

In my field at the moment the three terms in the title of this post are doing the rounds. I've heard them a few times now in different contexts and I was in a meeting recently when all three terms were used to describe various constituent members of a project team that I was invited to be a part of. 

There's a hierarchy built in there. A pyramid. Lots of people at the bottom, a smaller group in the middle and right at the top a tiny cluster, or even a single individual. And there's nothing wrong with that. It's the way many groups form and it's a useful model. It gets things done with the right balance of vision, proof of concept, and direct action (more jargon). 

We need Thought Leaders. Those rare individuals who are capable of truly creative, original thinking. Visionaries. I would love to be one of them. But I'm not. That's okay. I long ago reconciled myself to that. I admire them, I look to them for inspiration, for leadership. I am happy to follow them if their vision and values already align with my own or they are able to persuade me of a new way. No problem there.  

Then we have the Early Adopters. People who are quick to see the potential and opportunity in something and are willing to risk giving it a go before it's been properly tried and tested. They are the first triers and testers. Sometimes, in some areas, in some groups, I fall into this category. I was apparently there because I'd been identified as likely to be one of these in this scenario. And it's probably true that sometimes I have enough imagination to see where something might lead before it's arrived, or the path is clear, and I am willing (or foolish) enough to jump aboard and see where it goes, just for the fun of it. Nice. I don't mind being described as an Early Adopter. 

And finally we have... oh wait... the Sheep Walkers?! I beg your pardon? Do we mean... everyone else? The majority? The many, many people who also, given a bit more time, we hope will see the value in this (presumably still a good idea/thing/action) be willing to take it on and then keep it going (often when the Thought Leaders and Early Adopters have moved on to the next new thing)? Yes, we mean those people who might be a bit later coming to the party but are no less inspired by the idea, or passionate about taking the action, and are inclined to stick with it to ensure that it actually becomes a successful reality rather than just remain a good idea or a flash in the pan trend? Great. We need them. Don't we? Well then why do we want to talk about them in this awful, value-loaded way? Sheep Walker. Really?! Who'd want to be one of those? Who'd want to sign up for that? How dare we, even behind closed doors, talk about them in this way?!

Don't get me wrong, I am as frustrated as anyone by people who seem to move through their lives in an entirely unconscious way. Just following the herd (or flock) without ever really thinking about what they're doing or why. I don't understand this and it infuriates me when the actions of these people - simply because of the mass they represent - in some situations do more harm than good to others and the world around them. Although, to avoid hypocrisy, I need to respect their right to be unconscious (can you choose to be unconscious? I think that's a whole different conversation...) And, I believe that's probably the usage this term was first coined to be put to. BUT that's not who we were talking about here. We were apparently just talking about the majority. The rest. People we were hoping to recruit. Good people, motivated by a good idea, to take it on and run with it. The sort of person I would probably describe myself as, most of the time. The sort of person I would probably describe most of the people I know as, most of the time. And even a good many I don't know or don't particularly like but whose right to chose a different way I, as mentioned above, need to respect. Sheep Walker? No thanks. I don't want to be one. Nor do I want to be party to describing people in this way.

What really, really wound me up about this most recent use of term (one I fear is taking hold in this particular group) is that it was used by someone who does, without any problem or humility, describe himself as a Thought Leader. Err, excuse me, without those so-called Sheep Walkers, who is it exactly you think you are leading? And if you aren't leading anyone, apart from a few Early Adopters who might at any point peel away to explore another new idea having given momentum to yours, are you truly a leader? I think not. 

I exercised my little sheep legs at that point and walked away.

p.s. Sorry, I didn't have a picture of sheep. The nearest thing I could find were these goats. They probably wouldn't want to be described as Sheep Walkers either but don't worry, if we don't tell them, that's okay.

*end rant*