Intuition in the Boardroom
We don’t talk about intuition enough in governance circles. Not the mystical kind, but the deep, practiced knowing that comes from years of pattern recognition, lived experience, and the ability to read the room beneath the words.
In a recent leadership conversation, global thought leader, Hrund Gunnsteinsdóttir posed the the question: Why do we need well-honed intuition in times of uncertainty? It’s a question boards should be asking because intuition can be both a powerful strategic force and a potential liability.
Boards operate in a world where data is abundant but clarity can be lagging. Strategy cycles are shorter, risks are sharper, and leaders are flooded with information. In that environment, intuition becomes the internal compass that helps directors sense when something is off, when a timing window is opening, or when a decision is leaning too heavily on one narrative and missing another.
But intuition is a tool, not a trump card. When used well, I think it accelerates insight. When misused, it reinforces bias. The discipline is knowing the difference.
When Intuition Is a Strategic Force
1. When the data is incomplete but the decision can’t wait
Boards often make decisions in the grey zone. Intuition helps directors connect dots, draw on lived experience, and guide the board toward thoughtful action instead of paralysis.
2. When patterns matter more than numbers
Experienced directors develop an instinct for early signs: a shift in tone from management, an unusual change in customer feedback, or the subtle drift of a strategy losing energy. These micro-signals rarely show up in the briefing note.
3. When navigating human dynamics
Governance is a human system. Intuition helps directors read trust levels, sense misalignment, and identify which conversations need to happen behind the scenes before they can happen in the boardroom.
4. When confronting emerging risks
Cybersecurity, AI, geopolitical instability, supply chain disruption aren’t linear problems. Intuition allows directors to spot weak signals early and push the board into a more proactive stance.
When Intuition Becomes a Risk
Intuition can also lead boards into trouble. Here’s where it goes sideways:
1. When intuition is really bias dressed up as insight
“Gut feel” is often a shortcut for assumptions. Unchecked, it can reinforce groupthink or silence diverse perspectives.
2. When one voice’s intuition outweighs the collective
Boards can over-defer to the most confident or senior director in the room. Intuition should invite inquiry, not shut it down.
3. When directors mistake comfort for correctness
Intuition often reinforces what feels familiar. That can lead to missed opportunities, underestimated risks, or decisions anchored in the past.
4. When there’s no mechanism to test the hunch
A board that acts on instinct without validating with evidence, scenario testing, or dissenting viewpoints risks making decisions that won’t withstand scrutiny.
How Wise Boards Use Intuition Well
1. Treat intuition as a hypothesis, not an answer
A director’s intuition should spark questions like:
What am I sensing here? What might we be missing? What if the opposite is true?
2. Pair intuition with inquiry
A good chair will ask:
“Tell us what you’re noticing… what’s behind the instinct?”
This invites clarity and avoids surprises later.
3. Create space to explore weak signals
Boards that allocate time for environmental scanning, horizon risks, and simmering issues develop a shared intuitive muscle.
4. Diversify the board’s lived experience
Intuition improves when the table includes people who see the world differently. Variety sharpens pattern recognition.
5. Slow down the moment of decision
Even 10 minutes of structured reflection can separate real intuition from noise.
The best boards use intuition the same way they use any governance tool:
with awareness, curiosity, and discipline. In a world where the future refuses to behave predictably, intuition isn’t just a soft skill, it’s part of the board’s strategic armour.