Why Women’s Intuition is a Decision-Making Superpower
In my last blog post, I showed evidence that women are good decision-makers and leaders, so we can stop giving in to imposter syndrome. Our ability to take a collaborative approach, evaluate a range of solutions, and consider complex factors is a strength — one that complements other key traits of good decision-making like speed and confidence.
Since that post, another question has been tugging at me — what about women’s intuition? Is that a thing?
Turns out — it is.
Listening to Your Gut: How Intuition Works
First let’s talk about the science of intuition itself, regardless of gender. You know that feeling you get in your gut that tells you a decision is the right one? You can’t put your finger on it or explain exactly why, but you just have that unshakeable feeling it’s the right way to go.
There’s a network of over 500 million neurons in your gastrointestinal wall known as the enteric nervous system — essentially your “second brain.” The vagus nerve acts as a superhighway between your gut and brain, allowing signals to travel back and forth.
But how does it actually work? Your gut reacts to situations in a certain way based on emotional memory, much like how your heart responds when you’re nervous or excited. Your amygdala — the emotional center of your brain — picks up on these signals.
Butterflies? That’s excitement.
Sinking feeling? That’s a warning.
And that sensation impacts how you are going to act in certain situations.
Gut feelings are a form of intuition — quick, automatic reactions based on past emotional experiences and pattern recognition. This allows you to respond rapidly without needing to think through every detail. It’s powerful, but not always perfect. If your emotional memory is tied to bias, trauma, or incomplete information, your intuition can lead you astray.
That’s where the prefrontal cortex — the rational part of the brain — steps in. If your gut signals danger because of a past negative experience, the prefrontal cortex analyzes whether the threat is real or just emotional residue from the past.
Why Women’s Intuition is Stronger
Now for the fun part - women’s intuition.
A study tested for intuition in the form of fast, subconscious decision-making based on pattern recognition. The researchers used the Embedded Chinese Character Test, where participants had to quickly recognize patterns in Chinese characters. Women outperformed in both speed and accuracy when relying on intuition. Their EEG scans showed heightened activity two key areas:
The P3b component — the brainwave linked to attention and working memory.
Parietal alpha power — the part of the brain connected to focused attention and internal processing
In other words, women’s brains “lit up” when processing patterns intuitively.
Meanwhile, men showed higher activity in the N2 component, linked to conflict detection and analytical thinking — suggesting that men tend to work through issues more analytically, while women lean more naturally on intuitive processing.
And that’s not all!
According to Dr. Judith Orloff MD, an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at UCLA, women’s corpus collosum – the connective tissue that is the superhighway between our left and right brain hemispheres – is thicker than men’s. This allows women to switch between emotional and logical thinking more quickly, integrating both to make faster, more balanced decisions.
The Case for More Women at the Table
Men tend to rely more on compartmentalized, logical thinking. This is useful for quick conflict resolution and technical problem-solving.
But women’s decision-making style excels in complex, nuanced situations — like resolving difficult negotiations, creative problem-solving, and high-stakes communication.
Having both styles of thinking at the table — fast, analytical decision-making and balanced, intuitive thinking — makes organizations stronger and more adaptable.
Trust Your Intuition – and Back it with Strategy
Women’s ability to combine intuition and analysis is a powerful strength — not a weakness. Society may have conditioned us to second-guess our decisions, but science shows we’re wired for insightful, balanced thinking.
Complex problems require both emotional intelligence and strategic analysis, and women are uniquely positioned to deliver both.
Do the Work. Trust Your Choices.
You have the tools — emotional intelligence, strategic thinking, and intuition — to make strong decisions. Now it’s time to trust yourself and lead with confidence.
