In today’s episode of Speaking of Inclusion… I am joined by Cheryl Thornton, a coach, mentor, and facilitator who runs the Root and Rise women in business collective.
Together, we’re taking a look at at the unexpected topic of “woo woo” into the workplace. Whether that's about trusting your gut, tuning in to spirituality (in whatever shape it takes for you), or simply making space in work for feelings and intuition alongside the usual logic and data.
Cheryl and I both come from corporate leadership backgrounds where decision making is so often overwhelmingly rational and fact-based, and yet over time, we’ve each felt the call to balance that with our intuitive selves.
We talk honestly about the fear of judgement that comes with showing up as your whole self at work, especially if you worry your peers might dismiss your more soul-led side as odd, silly, or irrelevant.
If you’ve ever found yourself holding back from talking about feelings, gut instinct, or the less “concrete” elements of yourself at work, this episode is for you. Cheryl shares her experiences of losing (and then reconnecting) her intuition, and we dig into both the stigma and the practicalities of encouraging more honesty and humanity at work.
Here are three key takeaways from our conversation:
Balance isn’t about ditching logic for “woo woo”, it’s about allowing both to have a seat at the table. Your gut and intuition are just as important as your data and analysis when it comes to good decision-making, and having diverse perspectives leads to better outcomes for everyone.
There is a real sense of safety that comes when people are able to contribute their perspectives without fear of judgement, even if those perspectives are driven by feelings, intuition, or unquantifiable experience. Leaders and colleagues alike can ask, “what’s your sense of this?” to invite more holistic inputs.
You are not alone if you feel like you have to hide the more spiritual, soulful, or feeling-led parts of yourself at work. There is huge value, both personally and collectively, in learning to identify, embrace, and openly communicate your authentic self, even if it requires getting uncomfortable or doing the “hard self-care” work.
As you listen, here’s a question for you to reflect on:
How much of yourself do you actually bring to work, and what would change for you if you felt safe enough to share both your logic and your intuition?
If you have questions for Cheryl, she can be contacted on:
If you found this conversation important or valuable, please visit www.BuyMeACoffee.com and buy me a virtual coffee to help keep the podcast funded and these inclusion conversations going. The link is coff.ee/speakingofinclusion.
Speaking of Inclusion is hosted by Katie Allen.
Katie is a specialist inclusion consultant and confidence coach, offering a no BS approach to DEI and helping people become more confident in important human conversations.
www.KatieAllenConsulting.com
Theme music is courtesy of Epidemic Sounds – "No Drama" by Alder