Today, I’m thrilled to introduce Elena Meneghetti—an expert deeply passionate about exploring the depth of human thought, decision-making, and the vast richness of intelligence beyond data and computation. Elena, welcome to IDA.
Thank you so much for having me.
Could you introduce yourself to our audience?
Of course, though I must admit—it’s always a challenge. My work is typically focused on others, so turning the spotlight on myself feels a bit unusual.
I’m a C-suite coach and advisor. Over time, I’ve developed some unconventional methods that I apply with my clients, who are mostly executives—along with a few athletes and medical professionals. At heart, I see myself as a researcher in human excellence. That’s my true passion.
I began as a linguist and spent many years in multinational companies, working in global roles. Eventually, I shifted toward consultancy, and then into coaching and advising.
Something kept puzzling me when I worked as a consultant: companies had access to all the data—about their product, their market, their customers, their competitors. They could buy all the research they needed. And yet, they hired me to help shape their strategy. That question stayed with me. When I finally understood the answer, I changed my profession entirely. I began coaching people not to give them solutions, but to help them uncover their own—because every human being is unique. No two individuals are identical, and no two companies are either.
To support this approach, I’ve been studying—non-stop—for over 40 years. Everything from psychology to sociology, anthropology to neuroscience. And I’ve tested everything I’ve learned with method and care. Today, especially in this complex and volatile era, I find my work more exciting and meaningful than ever.
Let’s dive in. In this podcast, we often talk about decision-making—but you bring an unusual angle. You speak of the senses, of perception, of bodily intelligence. What do they have to do with good decisions?
Everything. Let me explain.
We often think of decision-making as purely rational. Something that happens in the brain, with data, logic, analysis. But that’s only a fraction of what’s really going on.
The truth is, every decision is a full-body experience. Our senses are constantly picking up signals—some conscious, many unconscious. These signals affect our thoughts, our feelings, our judgments.
Take posture, for example. Or breathing. Or how we move our eyes when thinking. These are not small details—they shape how we process reality.
I’ve worked with hundreds of leaders, and one thing is clear: those who make the best decisions are not always the ones with the most information—but the ones most in contact with themselves. They know how to listen to their signals. They know how to recognize when something feels off, even before they can explain why.
That’s not mysticism. It’s a trained sensitivity. A muscle you can develop. The body speaks. The question is: do you know how to listen?
Let’s talk about complexity. You often say that today’s leaders are overwhelmed—not because they lack intelligence, but because they weren’t trained for this level of complexity. What do you mean?
Let’s start with a metaphor. Imagine you’ve always driven a car, and suddenly you’re asked to pilot an airplane. You’re still a good driver—but the vehicle has changed, and so has the terrain.
That’s what’s happening now. The world has become exponentially more complex. We’re dealing with ambiguity, speed, interconnected crises, and massive flows of information. But most people were educated in a linear, reductionist, cause-effect model.
So what happens? Leaders try to apply yesterday’s tools to today’s problems. They feel frustrated, stuck, inadequate. Not because they’re not smart—but because the logic has changed.
We need a new literacy. A literacy of complexity, systems thinking, emotional agility, embodied awareness. And most importantly, we need to reclaim something we’ve lost: the ability to stay with uncertainty. Not to rush into solutions, but to inhabit the question. That’s where transformation begins.
One thing you often highlight is the theme of time. You say we’re addicted to urgency. How does that affect our ability to decide well?
It compromises everything. Time is the space where thinking happens. And yet, we’ve built cultures—and companies—that leave no room for thought.
We celebrate speed. Quick wins. Instant answers. But deep thinking is slow. It requires silence, rest, incubation. We’ve lost that.
Even language has been affected. When someone hesitates, we call it uncertainty. But sometimes, that pause is wisdom in action. It’s the brain connecting dots, the body checking alignment, the intuition surfacing.
We need to rehabilitate slowness. Not as laziness, but as a space for insight. Some of the best decisions come not from effort—but from allowing something to emerge.
Of course, this goes against the grain. It takes courage to slow down when everything around you is speeding up. But without that courage, we end up reacting instead of responding. And reaction is the opposite of wise leadership.
Final question—one we always ask at IDA. When you have to make a difficult decision, what do you rely on?
I rely on a question: Am I being true to myself?
It may sound simple, but it’s not. It requires knowing who you are. It requires presence, coherence, alignment.
Sometimes, I also ask: Is this decision expanding me—or shrinking me? That’s a powerful compass. If a choice contracts you, drains you, cuts you off from your values—it’s probably not the right one.
But more than anything, I try to stay in touch with my aliveness. That sense of being fully present, awake, engaged. When I feel that, I know I’m on the right path—even if it’s hard.
And when I don’t feel it? I pause. I wait. I listen. Because wisdom often arrives in whispers, not in noise.
