The Discomfort Zone

Chapter FourHow to Listen for What to Say

“It has long been an axiom of mine that the little things are infinitely the most important.”

Sherlock Holmes in A Case of Identity

Because intuition is often perceived as unexplainable magic or unreliable hooey, it is left out of the list of essential leadership skills. I’ve seen explanations for intuitive insights ranging from messages from spirits, to a sixth sense available to psychics and wizards, or an evolutionary advantage women have over men. I don’t know of any research that confirms these characterizations, including the existence of a woman’s intuition though evidence suggests women have learned to heed their inner voice more than men for socially acceptable reasons.

On the other hand, Daniel ...