Have you ever noticed how you can walk into a room and sense the emotions of the attendees?
Often it is not what people say, but how they say it that makes all the difference.
Are they saying ‘yes’ just to appease their manager when they really aren’t behind the decision at all?
Is there enthusiasm and conviction in their voice?
What is their body language telling you? Are their arms folded, eyes looking elsewhere or their body leaning away from others?
The ability to perceive emotion is one of the greatest super powers women leaders in IT have. It is a gift that can be utilized to help you make important decisions.
It provides women leaders with a competitive advantage compared to their male counterparts.
Discover in this episode how to develop and enhance your intuitive wisdom for critical decision-making.
Intuition is a Vital Asset for Women Leaders in IT
You might be thinking how exactly does having intuitive wisdom give me a competitive edge over men?
Where men normally make decisions based on logic and facts alone, women utilize their intuition in addition to reasoning and evidence.
I worked with a couple of my teammates on a managed service rebid. We asked each of the interested vendors to submit the names of 3 references we could contact along with their proposal.
We had narrowed down the candidate vendor list to the top 3, had vetted each one against the criteria, and were ready to start contacting references.
The first couple of calls were straight forward. We asked the vendors questions and sought clarification for better understanding.
It was the next call that got really interesting… We asked whether the company, which currently had engaged in business with the candidate vendor, would consider partnering with them again.
There was a pause and then a hesitant, “um, yes….”. I smiled at my teammates in anticipation of their next question.
The final question I asked was, “what would you do differently if you had the chance to rebid your current service”?
All of a sudden it was like the flood gate had opened and the answers started spewing out along with even more details. That last few minutes of the call made all the difference.
We finished the call and spent time recapturing what we had learned. I asked my teammates to share their thoughts first so that I could hear them out without tainting the conversation.
I stated that even though the company said they would do business with the candidate vendor again, there was a pause and hesitation in the spokesperson’s voice.
I asked my teammates if they detected that.
They thought for a moment and then looked at each other and said, “so even though the company said yes, what they were really saying was no”?
That experience taught the importance of listening carefully and sensing how it was said.
A senior male leader on my team was so profoundly affected by the experience that he repeatedly shared it with others as a teaching tool.
I’ve learned that not every woman leader innately has the gift of perception. I’ve worked with women that could not sense emotion, pick up on non-verbal clues or read body language.
They were brilliant and adept in their technical field, but had not yet learned how to master intuitive wisdom.
Similar to other skills you want to obtain, it takes time to develop and enhance this capability.
Consider these 3 methods to develop and enhance perceptiveness:
- When faced with a difficult decision, reflect on what your gut instinct is telling you after thoroughly analyzing all the facts.
- Pay attention to what you learn from observing others’ body language, tone of voice, and eye movements.
- Follow up with trusted colleagues, peers, or leaders to gather perceptions after meetings and ask them to share any specific cues they noticed.
The more you hone this skill through practice, the more proficient you will become. Over time, it will evolve into one of your greatest assets as a woman leader in IT.
Stay empowered and lead assertively!