This may be the most important and overlooked leadership quality.

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Leaders are constantly being bombarded with new data, strategies, and biohacking trends to take their leadership to the next level, but one critical element often gets lost in the noise: intuition.

Leadership has shifted toward emotional and social intelligence. The good news is that adding intuition as a skill already lies within us.

Francesca Sipma, author of Unblock Your Purpose, writes that intuition isn’t magic; it is our brain’s hidden superpower.  

She says that “though often defined as an inner knowing, wisdom, or guide, intuition is much more.” She explains it as a sophisticated cognitive process using heuristics—mental shortcuts based on patterns and experiences stored in memory.

Our brains are great at finding patterns and connecting dots between things that might seem unrelated. This ability works thanks to neurotransmitters like dopamine, which helps us focus and see those patterns more clearly, and serotonin, which keeps our mood steady and our emotions in check.

Using intuition for competitive advantage

These factors help us come up with intuitive insights pretty quickly, often showing up as a “gut feeling” or a sudden burst of clarity. This gives us a leg up in spotting trends, seizing opportunities, and avoiding potential pitfalls in the business world.

Even leaders like former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi have championed the power of intuition, emphasizing that when it is combined with empirical evidence, it becomes a potent tool for navigating uncertainty and making decisions aligned with long-term vision.

Sipma offers a new perspective that often defined as an inner knowing, wisdom, or guide, intuition is much more. Here are four ways to activate intuition to become better leaders.

1. Understanding consumer needs

Great leaders don’t just rely on data; they intuitively feel what their consumers want. By tapping into their subconscious mind, they access a wealth of information from sources like focus groups, consumer sentiments, reviews, and sales figures.

Sipma says that “this internalized knowledge enables them to anticipate needs and spot market trends before they become apparent. Leaders can adapt quickly to changes and create products that truly resonate with consumers.”

Jeff Bezos has this down to an art—often making those gut-based decisions that kept Amazon ahead of the curve. He once said, “We have so many people who are great at analyzing data. But I find that most of the important decisions I make are based on intuition.”

This instinctive understanding and adaptability have been crucial to Amazon’s market dominance.

2. Boosting innovation and creativity

Intuition drives creativity by allowing leaders to recognize opportunities and dream up novel solutions, and your best way of getting there is through breathwork, an experiential therapy that allows us to clear suppressed emotions and energetic patterns in the nervous system.

Think: one inhale, and one exhale through the mouth. “Breathwork can help unlock these insights by fostering a state of relaxed focus, accessing the subconscious mind, and connecting new ideas with creative solutions much like how ‘downloads’ and ‘visions’ are experienced with microdosing or deep meditation” says Sipma.

Steve Jobs exemplified this by connecting the dots between technology, human needs, and creativity, which was pivotal in creating groundbreaking innovations across personal computers, music, phones, and more.

3. Building empathy with teams

In addition to understanding consumers, intuitive leaders excel at building empathy within their teams. By drawing on insights stored in their subconscious mind, which includes a wealth of information about team dynamics, past interactions and unspoken emotional cues, they can sense shifts and foster a culture where teams thrive.

Sipma shared that high emotional intelligence, combined with the ability to listen deeply to team members, enables these leaders to adapt their management strategies, strengthen relationships, and create a cohesive, supportive work environment that’s less “everyday grind” and more “let’s crush these goals together.”

4. Bolstering strategic decision-making

Intuition enables leaders to make quick, strategic decisions without getting bogged down in analysis paralysis. Richard Branson, a master of bold moves, has said, “I rely far more on gut instinct than researching huge amounts of statistics.” His knack for trusting his instincts has been key to his success across countless ventures, proving that sometimes, intuition is your best business partner.

Sipma acknowledges that intuition may the secret weapon that sets exceptional leaders apart. According to her, developing intuition through practices like these not only sharpens your edge in the workplace but also enhances your personal well-being, leading to a more fulfilled and effective life. 

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