Gut instinct or false alarm?

Written By Madeleine Shaw

It can be hard to know when to listen to your gut feelings. Your nervous system is constantly scanning for threat, connection, and meaning. It’s a powerful source of information, but not always an accurate one. In leadership as in life, the skill lies not in always either trusting or dismissing these signals, but in learning to work with them.

For example…

  • A surge of nerves before a presentation rarely means profound danger. It’s a cue to prepare, centre yourself, and proceed. Suppressing nerves entirely can backfire, but so can indulging them.

  • An instant reaction of mistrust toward a colleague might be worth interrogating. Is it valid? Or a reflection of past experiences, assumptions, or biases?

  • Persistent unease, especially without a clear source, deserves attention. People often sense misalignment - ethical, cultural, or interpersonal - before they can explain it logically.

If you’ve been conditioned to be “nice”, cutting out of a situation when there’s a strong gut signal, but no obvious “logical” reason to do so (yet) can feel harsh or unjust. But those signals are there for a reason and the key is to get curious. I have definitely learnt this the hard way.

Having said all that, at the end of the day, if I’m getting persistent bad vibes about someone or something, I get out. And on the few occasions I haven’t, I’ve regretted it.

If the data is incomplete, your gut feel is strong and you have to make a decision, what do you do?

I work with senior leaders, helping them navigate these kinds of situations – if that’s of interest to you, get in touch!

Until next week, take care of yourself and others

Madeleine

I help accomplished professionals untangle difficult career questions so they can thrive in work and life.

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Madeleine Shaw https://madeleineshaw.com.au
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