Few will argue against the concept leaders must think.  Let me restate that: few will verbally argue against the concept leaders must think. On the other hand, many people, in fact the majority of people, behave in ways that confirm they do not take the concept known as thinking very seriously. 

For example, many people say things like "I'm too busy" and "I don't have time".   In fact, many business leaders repeatedly say things like, "I'm too busy to think" and "I don't have time to think".

What a losing mindset.

When the age of New Thought peaked about 100 years ago, the experts praised the value to thought, not just thought for processes such as decision-making but also thought for self-understanding and self-improvement.

“…spend 30 minutes daily thinking about the person I intend to become thereby creating in my mind a clear mental picture.” That’s borrowed from Napoleon Hill’s self-confidence formula, a self-help affirmation presented in his classic book, ‘Think and Grow Rich’, (1937). That sort of self-talk/affirmation or autosuggestion [as Napoleon Hill called it] was indicative of the advice intelligent people read as self-help books gained popularity a few generations ago. As the title of his 1937 classic indicates, thinking is the essence of the philosophy Napoleon Hill gathered, honed and presented.

Of course, other very popular proponents of ‘thinking for self-help’ existed prior to Hill. New Thought gained a position in literature during the mid-1800’s, hit full stride in the early 1900’s and morphed into pop culture entertainment by the early 2000’s. Specifically, I am thinking about the works of Samuel Smiles [mid-1800’s], the works of Orison Swett Marden [early 1900’s] and ‘The Secret’ [Rhonda Byrne, 2006].

As New Thought evolved it lost its essence.

The essence of New Thought was thinking…really thinking…not just presenting prescriptive ways of thinking [Haddock and Collier]…and, specifically, not just rehashing the thoughts of earlier authors [far too many to mention]…and, definitely not taking excessive metaphysical leaps [Hay] or fogging the brain by making radical jump-shifts back and forth between philosophy and physics [Chopra].

A return to thinking is overdue: self-help proponents need to cut the fantasy/entertainment and get back to good-old-fashioned New Thought values and essence – i.e., get back to being champions of thinking.

Leaders need to be more selective when they seek and embrace self-help.

Leaders need to learn more about thinking.

Leaders need to practice thinking so they gain more skill at it.