The Intelligence Beneath Words: Reclaiming Intuition as a Leadership Muscle

Image of a person with their hand over their heart

We often know more than we think we do.
And not in some vague, inspirational sense — but biologically, relationally, even professionally.

One of the most consistent threads in my work with leaders and teams is this:
At some point, everyone reconnects with a quiet knowing they had all along.

A gut feeling.
A hunch.
A bodily reaction that spoke before words ever could.
A clear yes. Or an even clearer no.

And yet—how often do we talk ourselves out of it?

The Inner Signal We Dismiss

Intuition, gut feeling, instinct — these aren’t mystical ideas. They are forms of fast, embodied cognition. The ventromedial prefrontal cortex, the insular cortex, and the vagus nerve all play a role in processing emotional data, subtle somatic cues, and pattern recognition beneath conscious thought. Research shows our bodies often detect and respond to changes milliseconds before our conscious brain catches up.

But this doesn’t always fit the dominant idea of leadership.
We’ve been taught that clarity lives in reason.
That certainty requires evidence.
That instinct is soft — and therefore suspect.

So we rationalize.
We postpone.
We “wait until we’re sure.”
And in doing so, we often override the very intelligence that could guide us through complexity.

Why We Don’t Trust What We Know

Through my work with leaders of all genders, and especially women, I’ve seen the pattern over and over again. We dismiss our sensing because:

1. Truth can be confronting — it disrupts safety or convenience.
2. We fear dismissal or rejection — especially women, often told they're 'too emotional.'
3. We weren’t validated in our insights as children — so we learned not to trust them.
4. Intuition often comes as a question — and we fear not having a clear answer.

The Cost of Disconnection

When we disconnect from our own inner signals, we lose more than just personal clarity — we lose the ability to sense the system. To attune to timing. To act with integrity. To navigate the unknown with presence instead of performance.

We also miss the opportunity to grow into a sovereign leader — one who acts not just from consensus or data, but from integrated knowing.

In the Lead True model, we speak of leadership as alignment between three intelligences:
- Inner Clarity (I) — the wisdom of the individual self.
- Relational Resonance (We) — the co-creative space of team and culture.
- Purposeful Action (It) — the outer structures and outcomes we shape.

Intuition sits precisely at the intersection of I and We. It is the inner signal that lets us move before the group moves — and sometimes, move the group.

Reclaiming Intuition as a Collective Practice

So how do we begin to restore our relationship with this deeper guidance?

1. Name it: Say out loud, 'I sense something here.'
2. Pause the reflex to explain: Let sensing exist without immediate justification.
3. Invite others in: Ask, 'What are you sensing?' in team meetings.
4. Loop it back: Start with sensing, explore with thought, and return to your gut before action.

This is not about rejecting reason. It’s about restoring balance.
As one of my clients recently said: 'I knew. I just needed permission to trust it.'

The Path of the Sovereign Leader

There’s a maturity that comes when you act on what you know to be true — even if it’s inconvenient, even if no one else sees it yet.
That act builds something irreplaceable: self-trust.
The kind that no one can give you.
And no one can take away.

Whether you’re leading a team, a family, a movement, or simply your own life — start by honoring that quiet, intuitive voice.

It may not shout. But it’s rarely wrong.

Closing reflection

What have you been sensing lately — that you haven’t yet said out loud?

 

 

About the Author

Lead True Global Leader Andrea Henning’s vision is that when people discover their authenticity and dare to follow their bliss they are happier and more successful in their lives while serving as an inspiration to their communities.

 

 

Read more from Andrea Henning below.

Andrea Henning

It is Andrea Henning’s vision that when people discover their authenticity and dare to follow their bliss they are happier and more successful in their lives while serving as an inspiration to their communities.

Andrea helps people and organizations clarify what is essential to them, then challenges them to get “all hands on deck” to produce the kind of results that make them want to jump out of bed in the morning. She gets right to the heart of matters, is enthusiastic about what she is doing and builds a long-term partnerships with her clients. She completely invests herself in the transformation process with her clients, guiding them to recognize their own power. She also has quite a bit of fun along the way.

Andrea’s foundational coaching principles include achieving tangible results, growing consciousness and taking personal responsibility. She knows to create an atmosphere of trust where transformation and growth can actually happen.

Andrea is a certified trainer and coach and holds various licenses for team coaching. She is educated in the enneagram, Otto Scharmer’s Theory-U Presencing Process, dialogue and systemic work. She is one of the global leaders for Tiara International LLC and founder of wezenlijk werken training and coaching.

Over the years she has worked with companies as Unilever, Econcern, ABN, NIBC, SNS Reaal, Fortis Mees Pierson, Hasbro, Price Waterhouse Coopers, LogicaCMG, ETC Leusden, Alterra Wageningen, Wageningen International, Royal Haskoning, ANWB, HAN, Sanofi Aventis, ROC Da Vinci college, ROC Landstede, ROC Frieslandlandcollege, Zeeman textiel supers, KPMG and Police Department Amsterdam.

Follow Andrea on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andrea.henning.520

Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreahenning

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ahenning_tiara

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