The Power of Intuition in Business

The Power of Intuition in Business: Ever-progressive work processes and emerging technologies help us secure the best quality data so we can make the most calculated business decisions… However, not all choices based on logic alone prove to be the right ones. Understanding the power of intuition and how it can provide an even greater advantage can help you make better business decisions.

The limitations of logic

While analytics present us with the power to take more calculated risks, making decisions based on logic alone can have several potential drawbacks. For example, sometimes data is non-exhaustive, or the information received is inaccurate as it’s tainted by someone else’s biases or prejudices. Therefore, decisions that are based solely on cold hard data are one-dimensional and robotic.

As Albert Einstein said, “The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.” Logic is crucial, but when combined with the ‘sacred’ gift of intuition, the power becomes limitless.

I think it’s important to emphasize now that incorporating intuition into decision-making doesn’t mean not using logic. It means teaming the rational and intuitive together. This way, intuitive decision-makers can respond quickly to one-sided or inaccurate information.

The power of intuition 

For me, intuition is a mixture of natural curiosity, intellect, and instinct. It’s the gut feeling that alerts us to a potential future issue, or alternatively, alerts us when we are on to a good thing. It has a central role to play in industry because it complements our business acumen so we can make smarter calls. It’s also the thin line that distinguishes the successful leaders who learned to go with their gut.

We can all think of times when our gut was telling us something about a situation. Sometimes we act on it, sometimes we don’t. When we are fearful we ignore our intuition… In other words, listening to our intuition takes courage.

So, how can we maximize the gift of intuition? Learn to listen to your gut. Arm yourself with all the facts, analyze the situation, and then give yourself time to process everything. Sometimes sitting in silence works, other times engaging in an unrelated activity such as exercise helps. Remember, the toughest part of becoming more intuitive is learning to have full trust in yourself, but once you have it, you’ll never look back.