Hunches and intuition as tools for every leader

​Image credit: Kinley Creative (Canva)

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Reflecting on the year that we just wrapped up, I am thinking about the power of intuition. To be honest, it started with my participation in the Pop Tech Conference in October. In a room with hundreds of thinkers, we had a radical dialogue about the power of hunches.

It was a fascinating conversation, and I mention it because it’s so at odds with most business conferences, where there are demos of PowerBi and the latest human-centered design strategies to develop dashboards where all the important data pops. I won’t say that we challenged the value of data and compelling graphs and charts, but the discussion at Pop Tech planted the seed for me.

In recent months, I have been building the case for the value of intuition and looking for ways to support leaders as they try to cultivate it. My conclusion is that there is certainly a place for data, and also a place for hunches. Both are critical.

If we treat hunches as seriously as we do data, and truly explore and examine them, what could emerge?

I have been thinking about where to begin, and I see it in two parts, internal and external. Let me explain.

Step 1: Do the internal work

In this article, Eric Barker shares "secrets" that will “make you smarter”—and one is finding a way to cultivate intuition. Barker argues that people with developed intuition know how to read and interpret it, and this starts with a nuanced understanding of the gradations of emotions.

That is, learn to name exactly what you are feeling—joy, contentment, flattery, etc. This takes time, and practice. Per Barker, “Start labeling your emotions more finely and you can improve. This trains your intuition and helps you make better gut decisions.”

Barker does not use these terms, but essentially the first step is about increasing self-awareness. In Brené Brown’s latest book, Atlas of the Heart, she works to define emotions with great specificity. The book spotlights eighty-seven of the emotions and experiences that are most important to humans and to fostering meaningful connection. It’s a great resource if you are looking to develop the vocabulary around emotions. (In case you missed it, visit the portal to check out the notes from when our CliffsNotes Book Club discussed the book.)

Step 2: Create space in the team/organization.
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As leaders, how can you create space for hunches? How does a leader set the tone so people feel encouraged to put their hunch out there, and feel safe in doing so? Space is key. Safety is key. Pacing is also key. Sitting with questions and waiting for my unconscious to offer up an answer is easier said than done, as we live in a world where there’s a bias toward action.

How can leaders create this space for their team?

Here are a few ideas to shift the conversation and honor hunches in the workplace:

1. Instead of an agenda of topics for a team meeting, create an agenda of questions.
2. Use virtual tools (even if you meet physically in the same room) like “sli.do” and ask people to submit their craziest idea to resolving an issue. ProTip: if you use Zoom, ask everyone to change their name to “X” and then submit via chat to keep all comments anonymous.
3. Prompt questions that allow people to build off of their hunches and intuition. Questions such as, “What does your gut tell you that you may not be able to explain?” or “If you were leading this project, what would you look into further?”
4. When people respond with slightly strange or silly ideas, accept the comments without judgment. Say, “Thank you for that, let’s keep the ideas coming.”
5. Once you have the hunches identified, select a few to dig into further and check out with traditional data-gathering methods.