Intuition: Why harnessing the power of your gut is critical when making high-stake, business decisions.
We’ve all experienced those situations where we made a sensible or logical decision, backed by data with probable likelihood of success……
but somehow it just didn’t feel right and subsequently didn’t end up working out for us.
On the flip side, we’ve all experienced making a decision based on our gut. On paper and explaining it out loud to someone else, it may have appeared statistically riskier and not made logical sense, but it felt right, guided, aligned, and it ended up working out.
This article delves into and showcases:
The science behind the benefits of using intuition in business decision-making
How tuning in and trusting my intuition changed the course of my career and life
What you can do to strengthen your ability to tune-in and gain a competitive edge
Understanding Intuition - what is it?
Intuition is defined as being: our ability to understand something instinctively without the need for conscious reasoning.
It is often described as a gut feeling or instinct, an inner knowing that guides decisions without the conscious involvement of analytical reasoning.
Contrary to common belief, intuition is not a mystical, woo woo force but a result of our brain's ability to process vast amounts of information rapidly, drawing upon past experiences and patterns.
In my personal experience, intuition is the subtle voice in our head that we hear in the first instance following pondering a question or when making a critical decision. It can defy conscious reasoning or logic but somehow feels right.
We seem to be more accepting of acknowledging our gut or intuition to make critical decisions in complex situations in our private lives and historically it has been more frowned upon in business. Seen as high-risk and illogical, we often revert to conscious reasoning and that inner-voice is trumped by data-driven approaches.
"The intuitive mind is a sacred gift, and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honours the servant and has forgotten the gift”
- Albert Einstein
In the fast-paced and dynamic world of business, decision-making is a crucial skill that can make or break an organisation.
While data-driven approaches have become the norm, there's a growing recognition of the role intuition plays in shaping high-performing teams and making successful business decisions. particularly when rapid decisions are required in complex and uncertain situations.
In Laura Huang’s 2019 article ‘When it’s ok to trust your gut on a big decision’, her research suggests why it can be useful to allow intuition to guide you in making high-stake decisions, particularly in complex and uncertain situations. Laura explains that:
“Gut feel can in fact be useful, especially in highly uncertain circumstances where further data gathering and analysis won’t sway you one way or another.”
After several studies conducted across a number of years, she goes on to explain that:
“Looking at high-stake decisions, such as surgeons making life-or-death emergency room decisions, or early-stage investors deciding how to allocate millions of dollars in start-up capital, I found that the role of gut feel is often to inspire a leader to make a call, particularly when the decision is risky. In the face of information overload, mounting risks and uncertainty, and intense pressures to make the right decisions, there is often debilitating evidence that delays our decision making. We put the choice off, rather than deciding. Trusting your gut allows leaders the freedom to move forward.”
In contrast to the business ‘norm’ many, highly successful innovators, leaders, business owners and entrepreneurs have acknowledged the role intuitive-decision making has had on the development of their products, the success of their businesses and the growth in their career.
Steve Jobs, Richard Branson, Oprah Winfrey, Elon Musk, Warren Buffet, and Arianna Huffington…….
are a few examples of highly successful people who understand the importance of tapping into and balancing their intuition with conscious reasoning and data-driven information when making high-stake decisions.
Neuroscience Perspective - it’s not mystical woo woo!
Neuroscientific studies have shed light on the brain's role in intuitive decision-making. The brain's limbic system, particularly the amygdala, plays a crucial role in processing emotions and detecting patterns. One key player is the unconscious mind, which processes information at a rapid pace and relies on pattern recognition to form quick judgments.
Intuition, in essence, is the brain's way of synthesizing vast amounts of information into a coherent and swift response.
In a 2022 Harvard Business Review article ‘How to stop overthinking and start trusting your gut’ by Melody Wilding, she goes into detail about the neurological basis for intuition:
“Despite popular belief, there’s a deep neurological basis for intuition. Scientists call the stomach the “second brain” for a reason. There’s a vast neural network of 100 million neurons lining your entire digestive tract. That’s more neurons than are found in the spinal cord, which points to the gut’s incredible processing abilities.
When you approach a decision intuitively, your brain works in tandem with your gut to quickly assess all your memories, past learnings, personal needs, and preferences and then makes the wisest decision given the context. In this way, intuition is a form of emotional and experiential data that leaders need to value.”
These responses are generated all within a fraction of a second, intuition is essentially the brain's way of leveraging this rapid processing power to make decisions based on patterns and experiences, sometimes bypassing lengthy analytical thinking. It taps into our accumulated knowledge and wisdom, enabling us to make quick decisions in complex situations.
How intuitive decision-making changed the course of my career…. And life!
In late September 2021, I woke up one morning feeling typically hesitant about going into work. I didn’t hate my job but it didn’t spark the joy I wished it would and I largely felt unfulfilled (and had done for years). I said out loud:
“What am I going to do?”
What I meant by that question was: “what am I going to do in my career to feel more fulfilled?”. In the immediate moment that followed, I knew intuitively, that I was going to hand my notice in at work that day. Immediately following that thought, I felt a huge lift, a feeling of peace and revelation flooded through me.
My decision was not based on any practical, logical reasoning, I just knew, deep down in my gut, that I was going to do it and that everything was going to work out in my favour if I did. That feeling was so powerful, no amount of logical reasoning swayed me. I had zero fear and felt an unexplainable sense of excitement about going into work that day.
Now, bear in mind, I was a single parent to three children, at that point I had no cash reserves and was living pay cheque to pay cheque. Most crucially, I had no firm ideas as to what I was going to do next or what would make me feel fulfilled in my career.
“On paper, this was a terribly risky decision”.
Having no money and no idea how I was going to make money with three children to provide for ‘should’ have been enough for me to dismiss the idea, yet, that day, I went into work and without hesitation, I typed and sent my email resignation, and the rest is history!
It was the best decision I’d ever made and was a turning point in my career and life.
In the months that followed I gained fresh perspective. Opportunities, insights and support came barrelling towards me effortlessly, evidencing that the decision was the right one. Fast forward to Jan 2024, I own a successful business, get to spend time working with my dream clients, have an amazingly supportive network of people around me and get up every morning feeling excited about my life. Work no longer feels like work!
Intuition - how to connect with it?
Connecting with your intuition involves tapping into your inner wisdom, gut feelings, and instincts. Here are the TOP 4 practices that may help you strengthen and connect with your intuition:
Develop your knowledge….
Intuition becomes particularly powerful when individuals have extensive experience and expertise in a specific domain. Through years of exposure to various situations, professionals develop an intuitive sense for patterns and trends. This expertise allows them to make decisions rapidly, drawing on a wealth of knowledge stored in their minds. In business, seasoned leaders often leverage their intuition based on this accumulated experience, providing them with a valuable edge in decision-making.
My ability to coach intuitively can largely be attributed to my 20+ years of experience leading and managing teams. Navigating all manner of situations in the workplace and working with all types of people from all sorts of backgrounds has allowed me to gather and store knowledge linked to people’s behaviour, emotion and response patterns, allowing my intuition to successfully guide the coaching process.
You will likely experience having more success making intuitive decisions on topics you have more experience or knowledge in.
2. Emotional Intelligence is critical….
Emotions play a crucial role in the intuitive decision-making process. Emotional intelligence, the ability to recognize and understand one's own emotions and those of others, is closely linked to intuitive thinking. Successful business leaders often rely on their emotional intelligence to navigate complex situations, read social cues, and make decisions that consider the human element. Research indicates that individuals with high emotional intelligence and a stronger sense of self are better equipped to trust their instincts and make effective decisions in ambiguous or high-pressure scenarios.
3. Creating distinction between fear-based and intuitive decision making….
Sometimes when there is a fear of rejection or punishment or a lack of knowledge and experience, our mind-chatter can become so loud and so persistent that we assume it must be intuition, discerning that the consistent message must mean that it is the right path.
Also in Melody Wilding’s 2022 ‘How to stop overthinking and start trusting your gut’ article, she articulates the different feelings and sensations you might experience when making fear based Vs intuitive decisions and how to identify the difference:
“Fear has a pushing energy, as if you’re trying to force something, or selecting an option because you want to avoid a threat, rejection, or punishment. Fear tends to be accompanied by bodily sensations of constricting or minimizing. You may feel tense, panicky, or desperate. It also tends to be dominated by self-critical thoughts that urges you to hide, conform, or compromise yourself”.
“Intuition on the other hand has pulling energy, as if your choice is moving you toward your best interest, even if that means pursuing a risk or moving more slowly than others. This is usually accompanied by feelings of excitement and anticipation or ease and contentment. Physically, intuition (or gut feelings) tends to cause your body to relax. With intuition, your inner voice is more grounded and wiser, like a good mentor”.
4. Mindfulness and Meditation….
In my experience, the subtle voice of intuition can often be drowned out by our conscious thoughts. Mindfulness practices and meditation help to quieten the ‘mind-chatter’ and make space for intuition to emerge. Regular meditation allows you to become more aware of your thoughts and feelings, helping you discern your inner guidance.
I know for some, the thought of lying down, and not thinking about anything for even 10 minutes feels impossible…..
It might help to think about the ways you choose to unwind, chill out, clear your head or switch off.
That might be: playing a video game, listening to music, reading a book, taking a walk in nature, getting creative & making something or having a long soak in a bubble bath.
Connecting with your intuition is a personal journey, and it may take time and practice to develop this skill. Be patient with yourself and approach the process with an open mind. As you integrate these practices into your life, you may find that your ability to connect with your intuition becomes more natural and reliable over time.
Remember….Balance is key!
While intuition is a valuable asset, it's important to acknowledge its limitations. Its effectiveness can vary based on an individual's experience and emotional state. By understanding the neurological processes involved and acknowledging the role of experience, leaders can harness the power of intuition to navigate the complexities of the business world.
Striking a balance between intuition and data-driven decision-making is the key to optimal results. Data provides a foundation for understanding trends, while intuition guides the interpretation and application of that data in real-world contexts.
Successful business leaders recognize the synergy between intuition and data,
and how embracing intuition as a complimentary tool enables them to leverage both, gaining a competitive edge in an ever-evolving landscape.
How I can help…
Whether in life or business, I adopt an intuitive coaching style and built in to all my coaching packages is an approach designed to uncover the beauty of what makes you tick.
Through the coaching journey, you will get to a place of deeply understanding yourself and you will learn how to align these insights with your goals (whether in life, business or both) to create a blueprint for direction, motivation, authenticity and success.
