Are you undervaluing intuition in your leadership role?

ByJossie Haines

Hi Reader,

For the next few weeks I want to dive into a topic that can differentiate you as a leader, but is often not talked about: harnessing your intuition.

Why is it that we often struggle to trust our own intuition, especially as women in tech?

It’s not a secret that the tech world is often dominated by logic, data, and reason. This environment, coupled with societal norms that encourage women to second-guess ourselves, can make it challenging to trust our inner voice.

  1. Silenced Intuition: Many of us have experienced instances where we felt something was off or not quite right, but we chose to ignore this feeling, only to later realize we were correct. Have you had moments like these?
  2. Distrust of Emotional Intelligence: Women naturally exhibit higher emotional intelligence, an asset that strengthens our intuition. Yet, in a technical world that prioritizes numbers and hard facts, these insightful emotions are often sidelined or even deemed ‘irrational’.
  3. Dismissed Gut Feelings: Even though women’s gut feelings or intuitive hunches have been proven to be highly accurate, they’re frequently dismissed in favor of more tangible decision-making processes. Have you ever been overruled by data, even when your gut said otherwise?
  4. Underutilized Non-Verbal Communication Skills: Women excel in interpreting non-verbal cues, yet in our digital-first workplaces, these skills aren’t leveraged to their full potential. Are we missing out on essential insights due to this disconnect?
  5. Intuitive Decision-Making: As women, we have an innate ability to read and interpret complex situations, sometimes even before they fully unfold. This powerful intuition can dramatically influence our decision-making, potentially preventing crises or uncovering opportunities. However, in professional settings where data-driven decision-making is revered, this intuitive capability is often undervalued and underutilized. Are we missing out on an essential strategic advantage?
  6. Undervalued Collective Intuition: Women are uniquely equipped to tap into collective intuition, a skill that’s invaluable for effective teamwork. Despite this, group decisions often lean towards hard data over collective instinct. Are we undermining our team’s potential by doing so?
  7. Societal Pressures vs. Trusting Intuition: Even with strong intuitive capabilities, societal pressures can make us dismiss our intuition. In doing so, we might be blocking an essential part of our authentic selves and hindering confident, aligned decision-making.

By undervaluing our intuition, we’re missing out on a key asset that can dramatically enhance our personal and professional lives. So, are you listening to your intuition or letting it be drowned out by external pressures and norms? Respond to this e-mail and let me know where you struggle with listening to your intuition.

And stay tuned for my newsletter next week, where we’ll explore why sometimes we might overlook these powerful instincts and the impact they can have.

Cheers! Jossie

P.S. Are you looking for support with overcoming your leadership challenges? Do you want to achieve unprecedented success during these uncertain times? I have 2 coaching slots open and would love to support you! If you’d like to learn more about working together, book a FREE strategy call today: https://calendly.com/jossiehaines/45-min-strategy-call.
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Be sure to grab a time slot before they all fill up!
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