Gut Feel - the power of intuition

Hello, I’m Poss, a Chief Operating Officer working in digital and data organisations. Welcome to my blog

I was talking to a couple of other COOs the other day, and we ended up talking about the emotional aspects of our role. Empathy, managing stress and in my case… believe in “gut feel”. 

As leaders, we’re often told to trust the data, rely on facts, and make decisions based on hard evidence. Only last week I wrote about the power of data to generate better outcomes to prove the point. But what about those moments when the data is inconclusive, the facts are murky, or the path forward is anything but clear? What about those times when something deep inside you whispers, “This is the right call”.

I’ve always been fascinated in my gut. Partly because I’ve always had a dodgy one (thank you IBS), but also because I’ve always placed a lot of emphasis on “gut feel”. So after it came up in conversation, I thought I’d write about it. How does it work? And where does it belong in a world where data is king? 

Yeah… but what is “it”? 

Gut feel isn’t some mystical sixth sense. I’d say it’s the sum of experience, knowledge, and instincts working together at lightning speed. Processed so quickly you can’t really work out where the thought came from. 

A search on the web tells me that science backs this up. In simple terms, you’ve got microbes in your gut sending signals along the vagus nerve up to the insular cortex of your brain. It helps that evolution has made us great at spotting repeat patterns too. 

Leaning on this intuition 

Thinking back to my own experiences, there have been moments when gut feel has helped me. 

1. Speed, innovation and creativity In fast-paced environments, waiting for all the data can mean missed opportunities. Gut feel allows me to act quickly when time is of the essence, or when a volume of imperfect ideas quickly thrown together can spark the right one. 

2. Navigating uncertainty. Not every decision has a clear roadmap. When faced with ambiguity, your gut can help you chart a course, even when the destination isn’t fully visible.

3. Reading people Leadership often requires assessing people; hiring the right candidate, sensing team tension, or gauging a client’s unspoken concerns. Gut feel helps you pick up on subtle cues that data alone might miss.

Over reliance - a double edged sword 

That intuition in the pit of your stomach is certainly not infallible. Your biggest strength is in many ways your greatest risk. Relying on gut feel will mean you favor information from your own limited perspective while ignoring evidence that might be beyond your life experience. In simple terms, unconscious bias, the evil twin of gut feel, can offer short term opportunity but less long term success. 

At the same time, intuition can make you overconfident, leading to poor judgement. Similarly, I’ve found it can be emotionally draining, e.g. the dopamine hits when employed in stressful situations.

Balance 

So we need balance. Some basic strategies for getting the most out of gut feel: 

1. Use gut feel as a starting point, but validate it with data and critical thinking.

2. Retrospective. Review decisions where you relied on gut feel. What worked? What didn’t? Reflection refines instincts over time.

3. Diverse perspectives. Counteract your biases by consulting others with different viewpoints and experiences.

4. Stop and ask why. If your gut screams for a quick decision, why don’t you ask why. Sometimes, slowing down reveals more insight and a better outcome. 

Our instincts are powerful, but not perfect. 

In a world obsessed with data, it’s easy to dismiss gut feel as unreliable. But some of the most impactful decisions we make (at work or at home) are made not just with the head but with the heart and the gut.

The key is approaching it with humility and curiosity. Our instincts are powerful but not perfect. Just as in leadership, it’s about balance to get the right outcome. 

Thanks for reading, I hope you found that useful and thought provoking? Please share any comments or views, I’d love to hear.

First written on 2 February 2025