Trusting the Quiet Voice: Intuition in Leadership

I come from a family that deeply valued education and intellect. Books were a part of our daily life—my father was rarely seen without one, and my mother regularly brought new stories home for me to read.

I was raised in an environment where knowledge and clear reasoning were core values, and this foundation shaped the way I approached life and work.

As I pursued a PhD in computer science and entered the field of artificial intelligence, decision-making became increasingly important. Like many of us in technical or high-stakes fields, I leaned heavily on analysis—carefully weighing pros and cons, mapping out risks, and choosing what made the most logical sense.

At the same time, I began to notice something else: a quieter voice.

Sometimes, before making a big decision, I would feel a hesitation in my body—a sense that something wasn’t quite right, even when everything on paper looked perfect. I often pushed it aside in favour of the facts.

There was one turning point where I chose to ignore this instinct during a job interview. The opportunity checked all the boxes—great role, good compensation, well-aligned with my career goals.

But my body didn’t feel settled. I accepted the offer anyway. The role eventually led to burnout and a difficult transition period. It also led to deeper self-reflection.

That experience taught me something valuable: logic is essential, but it’s not the only source of wisdom.

Over the years, I’ve learned to integrate both my analytical mind and my intuitive sense in decision-making. It’s not about rejecting one in favour of the other—it’s about listening more fully, especially when the data and your gut don’t quite align.

This shift has enabled me to build stronger teams and make more informed long-term decisions. Sometimes the best candidates aren’t the ones with the perfect résumé—they’re the ones you feel an alignment with when you speak to them. And often, your Body picks up on that before your Mind does.

• What recent decision have you made purely based on logic?
• Take a moment to reflect: Did your body say something different at the time?
• What might shift if you invited your intuition into the conversation next time?

As leaders, we’re used to relying on logic. However, we also carry an inner compass that can offer subtle, yet essential, guidance.

If you’ve ever had that small voice nudge you in a different direction, I encourage you to pause and give it some space. You don’t have to act on it right away.

But you might be surprised by what it reveals when you do.