Trust your gut - but don’t let it run the show
Grace and I recently posted a Monday morning video encouraging people to trust their instincts. You know that feeling - when something just feels right? When your gut tells you, “Yes, this is the way to go”? In internal comms, that feeling can be gold dust. It gives you the courage to take a risk, say something differently, or steer a conversation that’s drifting off in the wrong direction.
But since sharing that video, we’ve been chewing it over. Instinct is brilliant, but, and this might be controversial, on its own, it’s just not enough.
In our world, relying solely on gut feeling can quickly tip into something else. Decisions that sound great in your head might land flat in the real world. Messages that feel right can miss the mark entirely. And when instinct isn’t kept in check, it can become a kind of echo chamber - where every idea sounds fantastic because it came from you.
We’ve all been there. The moment when someone (sometimes us) says, “I just know this is going to work,” and the team is quietly thinking, “I really don’t get it.”
Because instinct, unchecked, can slide into ego. Even well-meaning ego. The kind that wants to do good work but forgets to ask the most important question: “Is this actually going to land with the people we’re here for?”
When instinct works, and when it doesn’t
Some of our best ideas have come from instinct. That quick-fire response when something just makes sense, when we know the tone, the format, the moment to hit send. You can’t teach that entirely. It comes from experience, from pattern recognition, from knowing your people.
But we’ve also had times where that good old familiar instinct has led us astray. One campaign had a bold headline, strong visuals, and a confident tone we were sure would cut through. It barely landed. The issue? We’d designed it for ourselves, not for the people reading it.
In comms, we’re not the audience. And that’s the point. We need to be constantly reminding ourselves of this… and checking our instinct is right (because ‘right’ is a constantly moving goal).
Design with your audience in mind (not your ego)
Internal comms isn’t about saying what you think sounds good, it’s about designing experiences that work for others. And to do that, you need more than gut instinct. You need insight too. You need to listen. You even need to watch how people actually behave, not just what they tell you they want.
Because the biggest risk in relying on instinct alone is this: you start designing from the inside out, instead of the outside in.
So how do we balance the two?
Try this next time your gut says “Go”
Gut feeling? Brilliant. But before you hit publish, try this:
Who is this really for - and do I know what they need right now?
When was the last time I tested an assumption with actual feedback?
Am I solving a problem - or just creating content to tick a box?
What have past engagement patterns told me about what works?
Have I asked anyone who’ll give me honest feedback - even if it challenges my idea?
Ask yourself where your instinct’s come from in the first place?
Are there any facts, or cold hard data you can check against?
Instinct doesn’t have to disappear, it just needs a supportive partner: whether that’s some insight, some reflection, a second voice in the room, or a quick look at the data. Even a simple pause.
The best comms people stay curious
And that’s really the heart of it: curiosity. It’s what stops instinct from becoming ego. It’s what keeps us learning, adjusting, and improving. The best communicators we know are the ones who do trust their gut - but never assume it’s enough on its own.
They stay open, they listen, they test and they tweak. They’re not afraid to say, “This idea feels good, but let’s see what the numbers say,” or “Let’s ask someone who thinks differently.” That mindset is what leads to comms that really connect.
So yes - trust your gut. But also challenge and check it. Continuously ask if it still works in the world your audience is living in. That’s how we stay useful and relevant. It’s also how we make sure we’re not just talking to ourselves.
By the way, this was the video mentioned. And if you need a hand with a different perspective - our retainers are perfect for providing you with independent, objective gut-checking on tap!
