Jacqueline Hazan, CEO, Hazan Consulting
In the world of executive leadership, we often fixate on visible behaviors—decision-making, communication, delegation. But beneath the surface lies a less discussed, yet profoundly influential driver of success: a leader’s thought habits.
Thought habits—the patterns through which we interpret information, assess risks, and make meaning—form the cognitive infrastructure of leadership. They shape how executives respond under pressure, innovate through uncertainty, and connect with others. In my two decades as a Chief People Officer and executive coach, I’ve seen firsthand that transforming these mental patterns is often the most catalytic shift a leader can make.
The CEO’s Mindset Is the Organization’s Weather System.
One CEO I coached likened her realization about thought habits to discovering that she’d been walking through her business with a lens fogged by urgency. She wasn’t just responding to the pace of the business—she was reinforcing it. Her belief that “if I slow down, everything will fall apart” drove her team into cycles of burnout and reactivity. It wasn’t a time management issue; it was a thought habit.
Leaders’ internal narratives become contagious. A scarcity mindset breeds territorial behavior. A belief in possibility fosters innovation. Culture, at its core, is a reflection of the most consistent thoughts of those in power.
Three Thought Habits That Distinguish High-Impact Leaders:
1. Curiosity Over Certainty – Strong leaders resist the seduction of certainty. They ask questions not to confirm what they know but to uncover what they don’t. This habit makes them better listeners, decision-makers, and partners to their executive teams.
2. Belief in What’s Possible – Great leaders challenge limiting assumptions—not just in others, but in themselves. They imagine alternative futures and choose optimism, not as wishful thinking but as a strategic act. Belief in possibility unlocks creative solutions, builds resilient teams, and keeps innovation alive in the face of constraint.
3. Joy in the Messy Middle – Leaders who thrive don’t just tolerate ambiguity—they find meaning in it. They embrace the non-linear path of building something great and find energy in the unknown. Rather than clinging to polished outcomes, they celebrate iteration, learning, and the breakthroughs that emerge when things don’t go according to plan.
Thought Habits Are Trainable:
Unlike personality traits, thought habits can be observed, questioned, and reshaped. But it requires intention. The most effective executives I work with are not just focused on business KPIs—they’re actively building their inner operating systems.
They journal. They use coaching not as a performance tool but as a thinking lab. They seek feedback not for validation, but to stretch their perspective. And most importantly, they practice new habits of mind with the same discipline they bring to quarterly results.
What This Means for the Future of Leadership:
As we look to the next era of leadership—one defined by complexity, remote culture, and rapid change—the ability to shape and shift thought habits will be as essential as financial acumen or strategic planning.
Executives who invest in self-awareness, cognitive flexibility, and emotional intelligence aren’t just more grounded—they’re more effective. And they build organizations that are, too.
—
Jacqueline Hazan is the CEO of Hazan Consulting and a former Chief People Officer with over 20 years of experience coaching executives and building strategic people functions. She works with high-growth companies to align people strategy with business outcomes.