From Autopilot to Intentional: Reshaping Your Product Leadership Mindset
How your thoughts literally enable you to become your own placebo
Ever feel like your brain is a self-driving car that forgot the destination? You're not alone. Research suggests we spend about 95% of our day running on subconscious autopilot! Translation: most of your leadership moves happen before your conscious mind can say, "Is this still useful?"
In product work, our hidden mental habits often get in the way of bringing big ideas to life, no matter how hard we try.
Besides watching Groundhog Day to see how Bill Murray escapes the repetitive pattern, there are other tactics to try. I recommend updating your leadership OS.
Why now? Layoffs are continuing. Multiple job rejections feel personal. When your career takes a hit, it can shake your identity too.
This week, we’re diving into science-backed frameworks. Practical, no fluff tools to help you start building the future you want, even when the present feels uncertain.
95% Problem: Why Change Is Difficult
With approximately 95% of our behaviors, emotional reactions, and beliefs being on autopilot, we unconsciously create guardrails around the choices we make.
That means only 5% of your daily actions and thoughts are intentional!
Relying on that 5% to transform who we are is like entering a world class race without a pit crew, everything is running on fumes. As Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt) says in the recent F1 film, “Hope is not a strategy.”
The real challenge isn't stating that change will happen. It's actually believing in and visualizing that change, despite our brain's preference for the familiar. This process mirrors the powerful placebo effect.
The Science: How Placebos Work
The placebo effect is where our minds create real physiological changes simply through expectation and belief. The actual biological changes in the body often mimic the effects of active treatments, even when no medicine is administered.
This phenomenon happens for the following reasons:
Conditioning
Our brains draw on past experiences to predict and respond to the present, creating conditioned responses.
I witnessed this with a product leader client in a toxic education startup. Having been let go before when a new CEO brought in their own team, my client's default reaction to conflict was self-blame. This conditioned response held him back from seeing the real issues.
We explored times he envisioned a better future that materialized. I then used the “magic question” prompt (aka the miracle question).
“What if a miracle occurred and you woke up tomorrow morning and the problem was solved? What would be the first thing you would notice?”
Our work helped him believe a positive future was possible, and the type of company he sought became clearer.
He joined another startup through networking. The founders were smart and tough. They praised and encouraged his work style. Colleagues were collaborative and supportive. It was the future my client wanted.
The past informs our future, but it doesn’t define us. By envisioning and believing a new one is possible, we can break free of old patterns.
Expectation
When we anticipate a specific outcome, our brains prepare for it as if the change had already happened.
The implications for leadership are significant. The expectations you set for your team affect morale and change how people function under pressure.
Consider this: Have you ever thought your team will miss a deadline or not deliver quality work? Take a guess. What happened? Expectations often become reality.
Meaning
The meaning we assign to an experience affects our body's response. When we believe something will help us, we're more likely to experience benefits.
I've seen this play out with AI adoption (as has HBR). At an enterprise client, leaders that view AI as a threat face stress and resistance. Those who appreciate the growth opportunity coach their teams with curiosity and adaptability, leading to better outcomes.
Key Takeaways: The Placebo Triad
Understanding these three mechanisms (1. Conditioning, 2. Expectation, and 3. Meaning) enables product leaders to harness the placebo effect in their work and personal growth.
Your Personality Creates Your Reality
Your personality (how you think, act, and feel) doesn't just influence your reality; it also creates it.
Neuroscience reveals that your brain does not distinguish between an actual experience and vividly imagining it. As Joe Dispenza explains in You Are the Placebo:
"Your brain and body don't know the difference between having an actual experience in your life and just thinking about the experience—neurochemically, it's the same."
For example, I worked with a CPO who excelled at strategy but struggled with execution. Her breakthrough came when we discussed how she wanted to be perceived - as a well rounded leader. This realization led her to appreciate and imagine herself as a leader who valued both strategy and execution. Through this technique, she began to rewire her brain to embody this new reality.
For product leaders, this rewiring allows us to transform not just what we do, but how our teams function. End result being, we can approach transformation more fully by recognizing the link between our personality and reality.
Breaking Free From Your Past Self: A Framework
Through my work with product leaders, I've developed a three-part framework for becoming your own placebo and creating lasting change:
IDENTIFY Your Operating System
Today's reality: As noted above, most people operate on autopilot, with 95% of their thoughts and behaviors running on subconscious programming.
New narrative: You can choose new responses that align with your desired future by recognizing your default patterns.
Try these steps to identify your operating system:
Notice your emotional reactions during the day
Identify recurring thought patterns, especially in stressful situations
Pay attention to the stories you tell yourself about who you are
Ask trusted colleagues for feedback on your usual behaviors
INTERRUPT The Pattern
Today's reality: We try to think our way out of emotional patterns, which rarely works because emotions operate at a different brain function level.
New narrative: Based on the insight from step 1, catch yourself before you react in the same old ways by using quick reset technique.
A VP of Product I coached struggled with speaking up during conflict. We developed a physical "pattern interrupt", raising her standing desk. This simple act was a trigger, helping her recall her goals and stay engaged during difficult conversations. With practice, her team noted a marked improvement in her ability to navigate tension effectively.
Here's how to interrupt your patterns:
Identify a physical anchor to use when you notice default patterns emerging
Interrupt the pattern by changing your physical position or environment
Consciously recenter yourself, stand tall and breathe
Choose a new emotional state before responding
IMPLEMENT New Programming
Today's reality: We try to create change through willpower alone. Willpower depletes quickly and rarely leads to lasting transformation.
New narrative: Perform a mental rehearsal by visualizing your desired future and watching yourself succeed. You’re a director bringing a pivotal scene to life.
The scientific term is neuroplasticity, which is your brain's ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections. The process involves "pruning" old connections and "sprouting" new ones, which can happen in seconds.
Here's how to implement new programming:
Spend a few minutes daily in mental rehearsal, imagine your future self
Combine visualization with celebratory emotions like joy and excitement
Practice living as your future self in low-stakes situations
Create environmental cues that remind you of your new identity
Framework Summary: Becoming Your Own Placebo
Identify: Recognize your default patterns and automatic behaviors
Interrupt: Use physical and mental techniques to change old habits
Implement: Actively practice and visualize your future self
This three-step process guides product leaders to create lasting personal and professional transformation. Remember even small steps evolve into a big change with repetition and time.
From Theory to Practice: Next Steps
The gap between your current self and desired future self will feel uncomfortable. That's normal and means you're stretching, seeking a change!
Explore the exercises above or try this one out to begin the process:
Identify two limiting beliefs about yourself that you want to change, like "I'm not strategic enough" or "I can't handle conflict."
Write the new beliefs you want to adopt, like "I think strategically and help others do the same" or "I navigate conflict with clarity and curiosity."
Each day, spend a few minutes focusing on releasing old beliefs and embracing new ones with positive emotions like excitement and wonder.
Notice when you slip into old ways and doubt creeps in. Use your pattern interrupts to create space for new choices.
Celebrate small wins to reinforce the new neural pathways you're creating.
From a quantum physics perspective, you shape your future. Just as Sonny Hayes returns to the F1 grid and pushes beyond his old limits, you can redefine your future story too.
The best product leaders understand that personal transformation precedes organizational transformation. By becoming your own placebo, you're not just changing yourself. You're creating the conditions for everyone around you to change as well.
I'd love to hear your experiences! What limiting beliefs are you transforming? Which of the three framework elements resonates with you?
Drop a comment below or reply to this email. I read every response and love connecting with you all.
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Reach out over LinkedIn: Diana Stepner
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