through that unseen terrain. It helps you sense when to lead, when to pause, and when to speak human.
The Hudson River Moment: Intuition in Action
Few modern examples capture the power of intuition under pressure better than Captain Chesley Sullenberger’ s landing of US Airways Flight 1549 on the Hudson River. In January 2009, after a bird strike disabled both engines shortly after takeoff, Captain Sullenberger faced a situation that no checklist could fully prepare him for. Seconds counted. Lives hung in the balance.
He could not rely solely on procedures, manuals, or data. He had to sense the plane, the moment, and the people onboard. Every decision from choosing to land in the river rather than attempt a return to the airport, to coordinating the crew and passengers was guided by a deep, practiced intuition honed over decades of flying.
The result is well known: everyone survived. But the lesson resonates beyond aviation. Intuition is the ability to act decisively when formal systems are incomplete, when models are silent, and when hesitation can be fatal. In business, the stakes are rarely life and death in the literal sense, but they can be just as consequential. A misjudged merger, a mishandled crisis, or a cultural misstep can sink a company. Boards and executives, like Captain Sullenberger, often need to act before all information is in, relying on the quiet signals they have learned to read.
It is this ability to sense, decide, and act in the face of uncertainty that differentiates leaders who manage risk from those who merely follow process. And it is precisely what my decades in banking, leadership, and training have taught me: intuition is not optional it is essential.
Why Intuition Matters More Than Ever
In Kenya, business operates on relationships, speed, and adaptability. Data is improving, but context often moves faster than the spreadsheets can capture. Today’ s boards face challenges that are complex and sometimes unpredictable. Environmental, social, and governance pressures are growing. Organizational culture presents subtle risks that can erode performance if ignored. Reputation is fragile, and strategies are tested constantly under uncertainty.
None of this can be managed by dashboards or reports alone. The leader of tomorrow is not necessarily the one with the most models or the most sophisticated analytics. The leader who will succeed is the one who can sense when the model is incomplete, when the data misses the story, and when judgment must fill the gaps. Intuition becomes not a luxury but a necessity, a bridge between what is measurable and what truly matters.
A Personal Closing Reflection
As a parent with adult children, my relationship with risk has both softened and deepened. Parenthood has shown me that consequences often outlive decisions. Sport taught me that momentum matters and timing can change everything. Leadership taught me that silence often speaks louder than words. Banking taught me that systems can fail when you least expect it. Risk taught me that people matter more than processes.
And intuition? Intuition is the quiet signal that ties it all together. It whispers before the numbers arrive, nudges when the situation is unclear, and guides when experience alone is not enough. Ignore it at your peril.
Reuben Kisigwa is a senior Enterprise Risk Management advisor and executive trainer. You can engage him vide mail at: RKisigwa @ pinnacle. resolve. co. ke or RKisigwa @ gmail. com.