It often hits us very quietly. An impulse. A hunch. An inner clarity – even before we can put it into words. Intuition is what many successful women have been using for a long time – even if they don’t always call it that.
The world of leadership is about making decisions, often under uncertainty. It’s about empathy, presence and timing. And this is precisely where the power of intuition comes into play: it connects us with what really matters – beyond KPIs (key performance indicators) and Excel spreadsheets.
I have been supporting women in leadership roles for years on their path to greater authenticity, self-leadership and presence. And one insight runs through all my conversations: intuition is not an esoteric gimmick. It is a leadership tool. And an underestimated superpower.
What intuition really is – and what it is not
Intuition is not a magical coincidence. Rather, it is the result of subtle perception, stored experience and unconscious pattern recognition. The body often knows what is right faster than the mind. This is also shown by science: intuitive decisions can be just as precise – sometimes even more accurate – than purely rational considerations.
The problem is that in the business world, often only what can be proven is valid. The “gut” traditionally has little authority. And so many women forget to listen to their inner voice – even though it’s there. Always.
Why women have a natural access to intuition
Women are often socialized to pay attention to nuances, empathize with others and read body language. Many take on responsibility in social systems from an early age – be it in families, teams or networks. These skills promote intuition quite automatically.
At the same time, female perception has been dismissed for decades as “emotional”, “not very objective” or “unprofessional”. As a result, many women have learned to suppress their intuitive power in order to lead “correctly” – usually in male-dominated structures.
But that is changing. Today it is clear that complexity requires new leadership qualities. And these include intuition, empathy and self-awareness.
Women who connect with their intuition make bolder decisions. They lead more naturally. And they radiate exactly the kind of presence that employees are looking for today: approachable, clear and human.
Leadership with depth – instead of leadership with pressure
I see it time and again when working with decision-makers: women who are successful on the outside but exhausted on the inside. Between responsibility, self-demand and permanent availability, there is hardly any room to pause for thought.
But it is precisely this space that is crucial for reconnecting with your own intuition. Because intuitive leadership is not created in tunnel vision – but in the conscious moment.
Today, leadership needs more than just processes. It needs personality awareness. And that starts on the inside.
What happens when you give your intuition space again?
You will communicate more clearly – because you know what you stand for.
You will recognize more quickly which direction is right – because you will learn to trust your first impulse.
And you will appear more confident – because you are at peace with yourself.
Intuition is not an alternative to strategy. It is your compass.
Intuition is female leadership in a nutshell
Female leadership doesn’t need masks. But connection.
To yourself. To the team. To your own truth.
When you trust your intuition, you lead clearly – and yet not harshly.
Safe – and yet not rigid.
You lead with feeling. And that’s what makes the difference.
About the author
Ich begleite Frauen, die mehr wollen – von sich, vom Leben, von ihrer Karriere. Mit Herz, Klarheit und wirkungsvoller Kommunikation unterstütze ich dabei alte Blockaden loszulassen und selbstbewusst den eigenen Weg in Führung und Selbstbestimmtheit zu gehen.
