Intuition in Leadership: Good or Bad?
“I trust my gut.”
I’ve heard that from countless leaders over the years. Well, of course you do! If you didn’t trust your intuition at least a little, you’d probably need to book a standing appointment with a therapist.
Intuition is fast. And speed can be a gift. But here’s the catch: intuition bypasses conscious reasoning. Think about that for a moment—does flying blind without logic sound like a brilliant leadership strategy? Intuition often kicks off as an emotional response. It’s shaped by biology, sure, but also by your experiences and the variety (or lack thereof) of situations you’ve been exposed to.
There are some “best practices” for using intuition—like maybe don’t rely on it when you’re angry, stressed, or running on three hours of sleep and four cups of coffee. Ignoring data or evidence when making a high-stakes decision? Not exactly genius-level thinking. Gut-based decisions, while quick, can be spectacularly oblivious to unintended consequences.
While I’ve written before about the challenges of being an overly intuitive leader, let’s be honest—it’s pointless to tell you not to trust your gut. You will. And in the right circumstances, you should. But here’s the trick: you need some tripwires. When you’re emotionally charged, stepping into uncharted territory, or making decisions with massive consequences, maybe take a pause. Slow things down. Use a robust decision-making methodology that doesn’t involve rolling the dice on your feelings.
What I really want to talk about is how you develop your intuition.
Think of intuition as malleable. It’s not set in stone—more like wet cement, ready to be shaped. In this way, it’s a lot like company culture: you can either let it evolve on its own and brace for the fallout (spoiler alert: the fallout isn’t pretty), or you can actively mold it into something useful.
Some people get lucky. They find mentors, encounter the right role models, or stumble into the perfect learning environment by sheer accident. But most of us need to be more deliberate. Seek out meaningful educational experiences. Look for companies that actively develop leaders. Create a self-development plan that doesn’t rely on “winging it.” Hire a coach. These intentional efforts will help you refine your intuition and make it less “throw spaghetti at the wall” and more “master chef.”
Intuition is like muscle memory. If you’ve been casting a fly line incorrectly for years, your “intuition” is just going to keep doing it wrong. (And yes, catch fewer fish.) Never learned how to have a difficult conversation? Or think strategically? Or read a financial statement? Or even facilitate a meeting? Your gut won’t save you—it’ll fail you in a blaze of mediocrity. The good news? All those skills can be learned. With enough practice, they can become positive muscle memory that informs your intuition in the best way.
And let’s be clear: this isn’t just advice for rookies. If you’ve been in a leadership role for years but still don’t have a solid, intuitive response to key challenges, it’s time to swallow your pride and fix that. Nobody’s impressed by a stale gut instinct. You need a healthy gut—one that’s been fed a diet of experience, reflection, and growth.
So, go on. Trust your gut—but make sure it’s worth trusting.
coaches CEOs to higher levels of success. He is a former CEO and has led teams as large as 7,000 people. Todd is the author of, Never Kick a Cow Chip On A Hot Day: Real Lessons for Real CEOs and Those Who Want To Be (Morgan James Publishing).
Connect with Todd on LinkedIn, Twitter, call 303-527-0417 or email [email protected].
