I remember a client asking me to advise on a hiring decision she was unsure about. My gut told me she is not the right hire. My client wanted a rational explanation for my gut feeling.

Research conducted by Harvard Business Review suggests that gut feel can in fact be useful, especially in highly uncertain circumstances where further data gathering and analysis won’t sway you one way or another.

Not listening to your gut can cost you. My client ended up terminating the candidate’s employment.

Why don’t modern women listen to their gut more?

Many women struggle with making workplace decisions that are based on their inner guidance because of old wounds, such as self-doubt or fear of judgment that causes them to rely more on logical thought processes to make decisions.

I have coached leaders to make business decisions based on data, logical information, and cultivate their gut feelings by paying attention to their decision-making patterns; understanding that gut feeling is not emotional, impulsive, and irrational; and trusting their decisions based on gut feeling.

Should leaders make decisions based on their gut feel, or shouldn’t they?