Intro to Intuitive Leadership

I grew up not believing that I was a leader. This is because traditional leadership looks a certain way and I do not fit that mold. Traditional leadership is rooted in patriarchy, white supremacy, and capitalism. We only have to look at prominent institutions to see this – elected government officials, universities, and big corporations, to name a few. Whether it is literally rich white men or people who emulate rich white men, the leaders of these institutions are often driven by power and status, and they are commonly seen as “natural leaders.” On the other end of the spectrum, there is intuitive leadership – a style of leadership that is not common in our lexicon, yet it is transformative and needed in today’s world more than ever. I have been honing my own intuitive leadership skills for the last 15 years and in this post, I will outline what intuitive leadership looks like in practice. 

Intuitive leadership is:

• Driven by purpose 

• Showing up authentically and unapologetically 

• Taking action aligned with values 

• Tuning in to messages from Spirit and Ancestors 

• Making time to reflect

• Being present and embodied 

• Centering collective care

Driven By Purpose 

In my first job after college, I was an assistant director at the office of undergraduate admissions for my alma mater. I was required to travel all around the country to recruit student applicants, then read and evaluate their applications, make admission decisions, and host large-scale campus events to attract students of color. I had to work through many fears and insecurities in this role – fear of public speaking, fear of making mistakes, and the fear of being the decision-maker. And I did so because I was driven by a purpose bigger than my fears – to demystify the college admission process, especially for first-generation and students of color. This sense of purpose pushed me to grow past my comfort zone time and time again. 

Showing Up Authentically And Unapologetically 

As I mentioned, I had to work through my fear of public speaking and being seen. About 75% of the population has a fear of public speaking, and I believe that it is connected to the fear of being seen. The way that I worked through these fears was to simply show up as myself – in my body, in my voice, and in my presence. I am a visibly brown and fat mujer with a crooked smile. At times I had to “fake it til I make it,” but with a continued practice of self love, it became easier to show up as the most authentic version of myself in any and all environments. This was especially important for me when I saw students who looked like me in the audience.

Taking Action Aligned With Values 

In all of the major pivot points in my career, I anchored in my values of social justice, growth, and community. In 2019, I made the difficult decision to leave my job at my alma mater after 5 years in the role – a role that once gave me much fulfillment and opportunities to grow. I hit a wall due to a combination of burnout and difficult management. I realized that in order to continue doing meaningful work, it was time to walk away from this role and towards a different role that aligned better with my values. This decision launched me towards a sequence of events that further allowed me to grow and thrive as a leader. 

Tuning In To Messages From Spirit And Ancestors 

Making difficult decisions – such as walking away from a job, situation, or relationship – requires deep self-awareness and willingness to surrender. One powerful way to do this is through cultivating a relationship with Spirit and Ancestor guides. Melanie Cervantes has a beautiful art print that reads: “You are never alone, your ancestors are always with you.” Sometimes the logical answer doesn’t make sense, and so it is through slowing down and tuning inwards that I look for the next best step. When I make enough time to do this, the answers come through. 

Making Time To Reflect

Living in such a hustle and grind culture can make it feel impossible to slow down to reflect, but it is vital to being a strong leader. To reiterate, making time to slow down and reflect is how we can tune in to messages from Spirit and Ancestor guides. And it is also how we can make sense of messy situations, and to reflect on our growth.  Whether this is through a regular journaling practice, recording voice memos, or reflecting in community, making this time to reflect will bring more clarity, understanding, self-awareness, and self-compassion. 

Being Present And Embodied 

As I continued to grow as a leader, I noticed the ways that anxiety and stress showed up in my body: anxious sweating, eye twitching, and difficulty sleeping, to name a few. When I stepped into a new role at my previous organization, it required me to speak in front of a lot of people while managing technical logistics on Zoom. I quickly learned that in order to do this well, I had to regulate my anxiety and stress symptoms. The most effective way to do this for me was through deep breathing and a regular meditation practice. Whether it was speaking in front of a crowd of my peers, or managing day-to-day stress, this practice of being present in my body allowed me to continue showing up and doing my best work. 

Centering Collective Care 

Two key words: collective and care. White supremacy culture promotes individuality and transactional relationships while intuitive leadership invites us to center our humanity and care. Traditional leadership teaches us to move with efficiency, which often comes at the expense of our humanity. Intuitive leadership reminds us that we are whole human beings inside and outside of work, and that it is important to make time and space to build trust, care, and community. This moves us from transactional relationships to transformational relationships, a concept from Tema Okun’s White Supremacy Culture & Something Different. In practice, this looks like slowing down to check in with one another, especially in difficult times; it also looks like taking actions that are aligned with the dignity and well-being of the people you work with.

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All of these elements of intuitive leadership may already come naturally to you. You likely already practice one or more of these elements in your professional or personal life. My invitation for you is to pay attention to the opportunities to continue cultivating your intuitive leadership because we need more intuitive leaders in today’s world across all sectors. At times you may find that these practices are at odds with established institutions, and that is valuable information to have on your journey. 

If you would like to work with me to cultivate your intuitive leadership practice, you can reach out to me at courageandculture@gmail.com.