"Foreman" has nothing to do with being an thought leader, they're just the person selected to interact directly with the judge. In the jury I was on, he also moderated the discussion when it got too heated. But he deliberately avoided giving his opinion until after everyone else had spoken and tried not to have any more influence than any other juror.

(That didn't keep the jury from making a decision I disagree with, but I certainly don't blame the foreman.)