In this episode of The Intuitive Leader, I am honored to speak with Gary Klein, one of the most influential thinkers in the world on intuition, expertise, and real-world decision-making.

Gary is a cognitive psychologist and a pioneer of Naturalistic Decision Making, studying how people actually make decisions in messy, uncertain, high-stakes environments. His Recognition-Primed Decision model has fundamentally changed how the US Army and Marines train leaders to decide under pressure, and his work has shaped fields ranging from the military to executive leadership.

We also talk about his long and respectful disagreement with his good friend and Nobel Prize winner Daniel Kahneman, which evolved into a five-year adversarial collaboration and resulted in their joint publication Failure to Disagree, exploring when intuitive expertise can, and cannot, be trusted.

Gary never set out to study intuition, but to understand rapid decision-making. When a senior firefighter once told him, “I’ve never made a decision in my life,” it revealed that experts do not experience decision-making the way textbooks describe it. That moment marked an unexpected turning point in Gary’s research.

Gary is a natural storyteller, and it is both a pleasure and enlightening to listen to him. Join in!

Links to Gary and his company Shadowbox

Shadow Box: https://www.shadowboxtraining.com/our-team/

Gary Klein - Seeing what others don’t: https://www.gary-klein.com/

Links to Maurice

Decoding Intuition™: https://www.intuitiveleader.net/masterclass

Community: https://www.intuitiveleader.net/community

Webinars: https://www.intuitiveleader.net/webinars

Podcast: https://www.intuitiveleader.net/podcast

Email: [email protected]

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mauricejenkens/

Every now and then you meet someone truly special, and you just know it.

This was my first impression of Canadian Mac Van Wielingen, shaped by his presence and by his family history.

I was deeply moved by his personal story and by that of his Jewish father, who fled the Nazis in Germany and ended up in the Dutch resistance, operating close to the very village I was born in.

That connection hit me in a way I did not expect.

Mac (Canadian with a Dutch mother and a German father) is the Founder and Chairman of Viewpoint Group, a Canadian family-owned investment and philanthropic holding structure, as well as the Founder and presently Partner of ARC Financial Corporation, a private equity firm with approximately $6 billion CAD under management.

He is known as the Rebel-Investor and is a strong believer in “ethical leadership”. He was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal for his philanthropic contributions, and he is a regular advisor to the Canadian federal government on energy and climate-related issues.

Already in our pre-podcast intake call, we ended up in a deep dive into everything between Heaven and Earth. Some of my favorite take-aways from my conversations with Mac are these:

He uses intuition in boardrooms by saying, “I don’t know why, but I am uncomfortable with something here, please help me understand,” inviting trust, psychological safety, and opening the door to “the unspoken”, the tacit knowledge the rest of the room is sitting on.

Mac also speaks vulnerably about his private life, shaped by seeking meaning and by confronting the WWII trauma in his family history. He shares how “discomfort” has been his greatest teacher throughout life.

Interestingly, his father did not speak about that past until he was 85. Mac had been sensing his family’s pain long before the words were ever spoken, which I believe may have sharpened his intuitive gifts over the years. Something had been transmitting meaning and depth through deep silence.

And this, maybe most of all, is my biggest take-away and lesson from him:

To turn toward discomfort, not away from it. Because, however hard it may be at times, it is in the discomfort where life’s greatest teachings lay hidden.

With an enormous amount of respect and gratitude, I would like to invite you to listen to our conversation.

I am humbled to have had the opportunity to speak with him.

Thank you.

Links to Mac and companies

About Mac and Viewpoint: ttps://www.macvw.ca/biography-1

ARC Financial: https://www.arcfinancial.com/

Viewpoint Investment http://www.viewpointinvestment.ca

Links to Maurice

Decoding Intuition™: https://www.intuitiveleader.net/masterclass

Community: https://www.intuitiveleader.net/community

Webinars: https://www.intuitiveleader.net/webinars

Podcast: https://www.intuitiveleader.net/podcast

Email: [email protected]

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mauricejenkens/

Who starts a company on her credit card and turns it into one of the fastest-growing firms in Canada? Who walks away from a successful exit not to retire, but to build a movement that treats companies as forces for good?

This episode is a conversation with Catherine R. Bell, founder of The Awakened Company and former CEO of Blue Era. Catherine is a multi-company entrepreneur, bestselling author, culture transformer and unapologetic believer that business can -and must- awaken.

We talk about the role of intuition in leadership and how “lightning-bolt knowing” shapes the biggest decisions. And also why ignoring your intuition feels like a sinking stone while following it feels like lift and expansion. 

Catherine opens up about the risks she took, the failures she learned from, and the inner trust that carried her through building multiple companies while raising a family.

It was my good fortune to be able to sit down with her for a candid, energising look at purpose, culture, and the courage to build the world you believe in. 

Join in!

Links to Catherine, book and company

Book: https://www.amazon.ca/Awakened-Company-Catherine-R-Bell/dp/1897238797

Company: https://awakenedcompany.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bellcatherine/

Twitter / X: https://x.com/AwakenedCompany

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/awakenedcompany

Insta: https://www.instagram.com/theawakenedcompany/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AwakenedCompany

Catherine Bell: https://catherinerbell.com/

Links to Maurice

Community: https://www.intuitiveleader.net/community

Webinars: https://www.intuitiveleader.net/webinars

Podcast: https://www.intuitiveleader.net/podcast

Email: [email protected]

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mauricejenkens/

MasterClass Decoding Intuition™: https://www.intuitiveleader.net/masterclass

Remember IoT (Internet of Things)? Exactly, hardly anyone does. Instead it is AI that turned out to be the “next big thing”. While everybody was betting on IoT, some were picking up a “weak signal” called AI and placed their bets on its breakthrough. Among those who did is my next guest, Danish-born and now living in Switzerland, Jens Hansen, Futurist and Investor.

In this episode I had the chance to speak with Jens about AI and Intuition and about investing while picking up weak signals. Jens explains that in the age of AI, intuition is no longer optional. It is becoming a leader’s most essential differentiator when making judgement calls. Leaders must learn to combine hard data with gut sense, especially as the pace of change accelerates now that AI is, as Jens explains for us, the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Welcome to Jens’ fascinating world as an investor, with horizon scanning and the ability to spot patterns. Hear him explain how Nvidia’s Founder Jensen Huang used his intuition to go all in with Nvidia and why intuition has direct financial value.

You can find Jens here

Futurist and horizon scanning - www.shapingtomorrow.com

Company Future Associates - www.futureassociates.com

Jens on LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/jensulrikhansen

Links to Maurice

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mauricejenkens/

Decoding Intuition™: https://www.intuitiveleader.net/masterclass

Community: https://www.intuitiveleader.net/community

Webinars: https://www.intuitiveleader.net/webinars

Podcast: https://www.intuitiveleader.net/podcast

Email: [email protected]

I sat down with Ginette Gagnon, a Canadian French corporate executive coach and angel investor. For Ginette, leadership is all about influencing people, and without intuition, it’s easy to get that wrong. Listen in to an open-hearted and enlightening talk!

With a background in mathematics and actuarial science, Ginette held senior roles at global firms like CGI and Aeroplan, advising top executives and navigating complex strategy.

Early in her career, she relied on logic and data, but quickly realized that intuition is essential to influence and guide people in the right way.

Now, as the founder of Mindful Humans and author of Mindful Influence, she helps leaders and start-ups integrate this “inner knowing” with strategic execution.

Especially at the top where data can be limited and decisions matter most, trusting your intuition is in her view not optional, but essential.

Links Ginette:
Website: ⁠https://mindfulhumans.today/en/⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/ginette-gagnon/⁠

Link to Ginette's Book Mindful Influence

Links to Maurice

Community: https://www.intuitiveleader.net/community

Webinars: https://www.intuitiveleader.net/webinars

Podcast: https://www.intuitiveleader.net/podcast

Email: [email protected]

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mauricejenkens/

MasterClass Decoding Intuition™: https://www.intuitiveleader.net/masterclass

What does Peak Performance and Personal and Professional Mastery have to do with Intuition?

Please meet Professor Viktor Dörfler in our series Science behind intuition. He deep-interviewed 19 Nobel Prize winners on-topic how they got to their scientific break-throughs. Spoiler alert: intuitive leaps are involved.

Also he conducted a broader study called the Master-Apprentice project (Nobel Prize Winners being the Masters), studying how expertise and knowledge knowingly is being taught and learned. Spoiler alert: tacit knowledge is right around the corner here.

If you want to truly get why Intuition is crucial to High- Performance, this short, yet crisp and fascinating episode simply is a must for you!

Links to Viktor Dörfler

TEDx Talk Nobel Price Winners: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpdg6bazL9g

Book What everybody should know about AI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009037853

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/viktordorfler/

Viktor’s work on Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Viktor-Doerfler

All of Viktors work on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/author/B088Q1CYLV/

Viktor’s personal website: https://viktordorfler.com/

Viktor’s site at the University of Strathclyde: https://www.strath.ac.uk/staff/dorflerviktordr/

Links to Maurice
Community: https://www.intuitiveleader.net/community

Webinars: https://www.intuitiveleader.net/webinars

Podcast: https://www.intuitiveleader.net/podcast

Email: [email protected]

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mauricejenkens/

MasterClass Decoding Intuition™: https://www.intuitiveleader.net/masterclass

In this episode of The Intuitive Leader, I sit down with Rick Snyder, founder of The Invisible Edge and author of Decisive Intuition.

We talk about how leaders can tune into the invisible conversations happening in every room, the ones that aren’t spoken, but often felt and are crucial to good leadership.

We explore how intuition works, how it differs from emotional reactivity, and how leaders can begin to develop intuitive skills in practical ways.

Rick brings lived wisdom and whether you’re in leadership, building a company, or navigating personal decisions, this conversation helps you understand the power of your inner signals.

Enjoy the conversation!

Links to Rick and The Invisible Edge

Invisible Edge website: https://invisible-edgellc.com/

Decisive Intuition book: https://tinyurl.com/mtym3zr3

Linkedin profile: linkedin.com/in/rick-snyder-80ab8761

Leadership Academy online courses: https://invisible-edgellc.com/iela-main/

Community: https://www.intuitiveleader.net/community

Webinars: https://www.intuitiveleader.net/webinars

Podcast: https://www.intuitiveleader.net/podcast

Email: [email protected]

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mauricejenkens/

Links to Maurice
MasterClass Decoding Intuition™: https://www.intuitiveleader.net/masterclass

Meet Jeremy Swartz. If you’re a founder or CEO looking to build a purpose-driven business without losing your edge, this conversation is a must. We talk about trusting your gut, redefining failure, and why the process matters more than just the outcome.

Part 2 of 2 with Jeremy

Jeremy shows us that intuitive leadership is about creating psychological safety, trusting one's deeper sense of judgment, and leading with calm presence in complex, high-pressure environments.

We explore the role of intuition in leadership, how it develops, its impact on decision-making and team culture, and how it complements data and strategy in modern corporate life.

Jeremy on LinkedIn:  linkedin.com/in/jeremy-swartz-8902344

Links Maurice

MasterClass Decoding Intuition™: https://www.intuitiveleader.net/masterclass

Webinars: https://www.intuitiveleader.net/webinars

Community: https://www.intuitiveleader.net/community

Podcast: https://www.intuitiveleader.net/podcast

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mauricejenkens/

Meet Jeremy Swartz. If you’re a founder or CEO looking to build a purpose-driven business without losing your edge, this conversation is a must. We talk about trusting your gut, redefining failure, and why the process matters more than just the outcome.

Part 1 of 2 with Jeremy

Jeremy shows us that intuitive leadership is about creating psychological safety, trusting one's deeper sense of judgment, and leading with calm presence in complex, high-pressure environments.

We explore the role of intuition in leadership, how it develops, its impact on decision-making and team culture, and how it complements data and strategy in modern corporate life.

Jeremy on LinkedIn:  ⁠linkedin.com/in/jeremy-swartz-8902344⁠

Links Maurice

MasterClass Decoding Intuition™: ⁠https://www.intuitiveleader.net/masterclass⁠

Webinars: ⁠https://www.intuitiveleader.net/webinars⁠

Community: ⁠https://www.intuitiveleader.net/community⁠

Podcast: ⁠https://www.intuitiveleader.net/podcast⁠

Linkedin: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/mauricejenkens/⁠

Please meet Professor Eugene Sadler-Smith, one of the world’s leading voices on intuition in business and leadership. Eugene is Professor of Organizational Behaviour at the University of Surrey (UK), where he’s spent over two decades researching and teaching Intuition in decision-making and hubris in leadership.

He has authored over 100 peer-reviewed articles and several influential books. Such as Trust Your Gut – a practical guide to developing intuitive intelligence.

Eugene’s work has been featured on BBC Radio 4, Sky TV, The Times, and more. He has collaborated with major institutions like Tesco, the Met Police, and several UK government bodies. He is among the most cited researchers in the field of intuition and management.

In our conversation, we explore the science of creative intuition and how leaders can learn to trust their gut and much more!

Links to Eugene’s work:

• Intuition in Business  Oxford University Press
• The Hubris Hazard  Routledge
• Trust Your Gut (pre-order)  Pearson
• University Profile  University of Surrey
• Eugene on LinkedIn

Links to Maurice

• MasterClass Decoding Intuition™: https://www.intuitiveleader.net/masterclass

• Webinars: https://www.intuitiveleader.net/webinars
• Community: https://www.intuitiveleader.net/community
• Podcast: https://www.intuitiveleader.net/podcast
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mauricejenkens/