The Science of Business Intuition – Five Tips for Confident Decision Making
Have you ever made a decision at work that left a pit in your stomach?
What if I told you that your gut instinct and deep intuition could be the key to unlocking your true potential for success in your professional career?
Though this is not a widely discussed topic, I have seen many successful leaders go with their intuition during pressure points and lead the business to deliver an outstanding result.
No, they are not magicians. Most of them are also not born with this trait. But they sharpen their intuitive skills through experience.
Business intuition is a powerful tool that we can tap into to make better decisions and achieve greater success. In this article, we’ll discuss what intuition in business means, scientific research on it, its benefits, and how to practice it professionally.
If you always try to find the perfect answers backed up by 100% information, you will almost always be late for the party. Irrespective of the function you work for (i.e., Marketing, Finance, Operations, HR, etc.), you are bound to face situations where time is of the essence and you do not have 100% information available to you. That’s where you need to use your business intuition.
What is Business Intuition? (It’s not mystical power)
Business intuition is the ability to make quick decisions based on your instincts and inner knowing. It’s that gut feeling you get when you know something is right or wrong without necessarily having all the facts or data to back it up.
Trusting intuition in business is useful for hiring, motivating a team, product design, marketing and financial strategies, networking, and competition analysis.
Studies have shown that most top executives rely on their feelings and experience to handle crises. Even the US Navy has invested millions of dollars in refining the intuition of its marines.
As Steve Jobs famously said, “you have to trust in something, your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.”
Our intuition is not a mystical power but rather a natural part of our cognitive processes. It’s the power of our subconscious mind to process and synthesize vast amounts of information and experiences without our conscious awareness.
Our bodies retain a wealth of information that our conscious minds can only process a fraction of, which is why we often rely on our unconscious knowledge when our gut instincts arise.
Jeff Bezos (founder of Amazon), Sir Richard Branson (founder of Virgin Group), and Opera Winfrey (famous media personality) all had the uncanny ability to apply their intuitive power to make groundbreaking decisions and achieve remarkable success.
The Science of Listening to Your Intuition in Business
Scientists have found a vast neural network of over 100 million neurons lining our digestive tract—more than the entire spinal cord. Therefore, the “second brain” in our gut has incredible processing abilities that can affect how we approach situations and people and think of ourselves.
Our ancestors relied on gut instincts for survival long before advanced cognitive abilities developed. As our environment grew more complex, our brains had to store different types of information.
Now, there are two different types of memories: implicit and explicit. Implicit memory is the driving force behind our business intuition. It is absorbed by the brain effortlessly and unconsciously. Explicit memory requires focused effort and determination, such as when recalling instructions or taking a test.
Pairing gut feelings with analytical thinking helps professionals make better, faster, and emotionally-sound decisions. Relying on rapid cognition, or “thin slicing”, means your brain can make decisions without tedious overthinking.
5 Benefits of Intuition in Business
Business intuition is every professional’s superpower. With regular practice, a world of benefits opens up:
- Faster decision-making with less overthinking, anxiety, and stress
- Ability to regulate emotions in the face of discomfort, improving distress tolerance.
- Greater self-trust and confidence
- It pushes you out of your comfort zone and explores new ideas, opportunities, and experiences.
- Better communication skills with a greater understanding of the needs and perspectives of others
That’s where you need to build and trust your intuition.
How to Trust Your Intuition in Business
You can sharpen your intuition if you genuinely focus on this area. With practice, you would be surprised to see how sharp you become. This can truly transform you from an average/good leader to a great one.
Tip 1: Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness will help you become more aware of your thoughts, feelings, body, and intuition. It will also help you distinguish intuition from fear or unconscious bias, which are both similar automatic processes.
Tip 2: Baby Steps First
Begin by making small decisions based on your intuition, and gradually work your way up to larger ones.
Tip 3: Utilize Data
Use data to guide and train your intuition in business. Data can either support or refute good instincts. Take note of how your intuitive decisions play out in the real world.
Tip 4: Quick Test
Take a piece of paper and write down the question you’re pondering. Below it, write “yes” and “no.” Leave the paper aside for a few hours, then return to it and circle your answer without overthinking. Be honest with yourself and trust your first instinct.
Let’s Stay Ahead of the Curve …
Business intuition can help unlock your true potential and lead to professional success by guiding you toward new ideas, opportunities, and experiences that push your boundaries and challenge you to grow. It can be the difference between being too late to the market vs. being just on time or even ahead of time.
So, the next time you’re faced with a tough decision, take a moment to listen to your intuition and see where it leads you. Your success may depend on it.
If you want to explore further how you can sharpen your intuition, improve your self-awareness, and be more mindful, then request a complimentary session with me now.