Developing Informed Intuition for Decision-Making

Jay Liebowitz

• Publisher: Taylor & Francis
• Year: 2019
• ISBN:
  9781000024197
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Business
• Subtopic: Decision Making
• Index: Business

This book examines how to develop the main traits that are necessary to become an "informed intuitant". Case studies and examples of successful "informed intuitants" are a major component of the book. "Intuitant" is someone who has the intuitive awareness to be successful. "Informed intuitant" indicates that the individual/decision maker not only applies his/her intuition but also verifies it through using data-driven approaches (such as data analytics). Some of this work resulted from research examining how well do executives trust their intuition.

Chapter 1

Intuitive Leadership: A Neurological, Psychological, and Quantum Approach to Heighten Intelligence, Innovation, and Performance

Karen Storsteen

Contents

Your Intuition in This Moment

Intuition Is Your Greatest Asset

Are You Listening to Your Intuition? Are You on the Right Path?

Stress Diminishes Intuition and Intelligence

Shift from Stress to Neurological Power and Extraordinary Intuition

The Heart and Gut Are Intuitive, Precognitive, and Intelligent

Foresight

Living in the Quantum Field—Intuitive “Weirdness” Explained through Quantum Entanglement

Heighten Your Energy

Uncover Your Blind Spots, and Embrace Your Whole Self

Mindfulness

The Intuitive Process

Your Organization’s Intuitive Intelligence

Conclusion

References

Have you ever ignored your intuition and later regretted it? Conversely, have you ever listened to your intuition and thought, “That was a terrible idea … stupid intuition …”? Probably not! Why? Because you can rely on your intuition. You can count on this innate brilliance. Intuition is with you 100 percent of the time to ground you in the eye of the storm, tell you what to do in an emergency, and point you to your life’s purpose. It allows you to envision the future and to take a bold leap of faith in the face of uncertainty. It is with you to help you make daily decisions with greater confidence and ease and to lead with courage, conviction, and compassion.

Whether you call intuition your inner voice, gut instinct, your higher self, or a sixth sense, it is your guide, consultant, and teacher—and it’s free. Given that you are attracted to the subject matter of this book, you are likely aware of your intuitiveness and the value it plays in your work and life.

Neurologically, when you access your intuition, exponential intelligence emerges. You are accessing your highest level of intelligence as all of your intelligences kick in and line up at the same time: analytical, practical, social, emotional, and creative intelligences. Each of these intelligences strengthens as you develop your intuition. Intuitive decision-making enables exponential productivity improvement as well, as processing time can be reduced from years and months to minutes and seconds.

Over the last 10 years, one of the most extraordinary discoveries has been the understanding of neuroplasticity, dismantling the view that the brain is fixed and unchangeable. We now know definitively that the brain has the capacity to expand, reorganize, and rewire for heightened intelligence. Coupled with revolutionary findings in quantum physics, we are now in a better position to explain scientifically the mystery behind intuition and how to develop this brilliance!

A new, groundbreaking paradigm for human potential has emerged. We can envision what is possible and create the “impossible dream” when we uncover and consciously apply our intuitive intelligence in our lives and work. We can learn from the most significant leaders and scientists of our time who have used their intuitive intelligence to greatly benefit the world.

The information I will share with you in this chapter is grounded in science and decades of personal research ignited by a desire to understand my own extraordinary intuitive experiences. My curiosity grew from “common” and yet incredible experiences where I was able to perceive or know information with validity, without conscious reasoning or previous experience. I was compelled to understand this powerful “technology” and to explore the fascinating evidence behind our intuitiveness—to explain extraordinary intuitive phenomena that had been primarily inexplicable in years prior. Having worked in the fields of human and organizational development as an executive coach, management consultant, and later psychotherapist, I had developed several corporate universities for leaders teaching most every subject in the management and leadership sciences. Realizing the infinite power of intuitive intelligence, 16 years ago I took a leap of faith, faced my fears about challenging “traditional” thinking, and began teaching intuitive development to unleash everyday brilliance.

In this chapter, we explore the power of intuition. You will assess the degree to which you use your intuition today in business and life. We will discuss how stress diminishes intuition, effective decision-making, and brain functioning, as well as how to shift from stress to neurological power. In addition, you will learn several proven methods to develop and heighten your intuition. You will use a process at the end of the chapter to solve a problem or make a decision using your intuition. Lastly, you will reflect on your organization and the degree to which it supports an intuitively intelligent organization. Throughout the chapter, I shed light on the mechanics of intuition supported by sciences in psychology, neuroscience, and quantum physics.

Your Intuition in This Moment

You used your intuition when you picked up this book. In this moment, you are synthesizing information from your body, to include your gut and heart, with higher brain activity to create intuition. When your gut, heart, and head integrate, you are generating exponential intelligence and able to listen to your inner voice. In this moment, you have conscious perception and are also experiencing a physiological and emotional response to my words. Your analytical, rational, logical mind is also speaking, thinking about the reasons why you picked up this book. Perhaps you are looking for clarity, peace, and answers, or wanting to develop your leadership skills and intuitive abilities.

As a senior leader, you likely rose to your position due greatly to your intuitiveness and self-awareness. Intuitive people “read” their environment, people, and situations accurately, are aware of how they feel in the moment, integrate this information with higher brain function, and use this information wisely. If you describe yourself as a more left-brained, analytical type who bases most of your decisions on how you think about a situation, you probably are not noticing the degree to which your intuition is at work. Even if you think that you are not naturally wired intuitively, every one of us can develop and heighten our intuition, including you.

Intuition Is Your Greatest Asset

As you know, there have been many leadership and management practices to improve organizational performance over the years, such as scientific management, total quality management, change management, customer relationship ­management, project management, process re-engineering, Management by Objectives, Six Sigma, Scrum, quality circles, and situational leadership. I have taught and used many of these methods throughout my career as a management consultant identifying productivity gains across industries of up to 200 percent, while improving performance, employee satisfaction, and corporate value. These practices can be highly beneficial. And yet, developing intuition, our highest level of intelligence, has barely been on the radar. It is time for us to evolve to unprecedented levels of human functioning wherein we will utilize the capabilities that already reside within us.

The lack of focus and importance with respect to our intuitive intelligence in business is counter-intuitive. We need to rethink the way we think. In U.S. business, we have created cultures that support the rational, logical mind and inadvertently neglect the whole brain. We will not get to where we need to go by relying solely on intellect and logic, as they are not intelligence and wisdom. Relying solely on intellect and our “mental” mind, we ignore the instinctive and intelligent senses of the body, heart, and gut and the way we process this information emotionally. We cut ourselves off from our “whole self” and are therefore unable to perceive the entire picture. Intuitive decision-making embodies both linear (left brain) and nonlinear (right brain) processing. Albert Einstein said, “The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind a sacred servant; we have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.” In addition, Einstein stated, “The intellect has little to do on the road to discovery. There comes a leap in consciousness—call it intuition or what you will—and the solution comes to you and you don’t know how or why.”

Overrationalizing and overintellectualizing minimize creativity, risk-taking, empathy, imagination, inspiration, ingenuity, teamwork, happiness, self-worth, efficient and effective decision-making, and perception, as well as profits and growth. Making practical decisions can even be thwarted as common sense and street smarts are overridden by overwhelming amounts of data, facts, and figures. Fear often pervades as these environments tend to be more critical, judgmental, opinionated, and risk-averse. The heart of the organization is minimized, and the egoic mind is in charge. The critical intelligence of empathy is undervalued. Stress impedes kindness. So, what’s wrong with this picture? Neurologically, these environments dumb people down, and optimal performance is unattainable.

Leaders who consciously develop their own intuitive intelligence and the intuitive acumen within their organization will surpass the competition. Intuition is the neurocompetitive advantage. Where can intuition be practiced within your organization? Everywhere. Is there any industry where intuition would not be applicable? No. In my work with corporate clients, we have applied intuitive decision-­making processes to strategic planning, product development, marketing, business development, project management, operations, and support functions such as human resources and IT. You use your intuition in developing your mission and vision, scanning your organization’s environment for opportunities and threats, envisioning future products and services, and being attuned to unstated customer needs to increase sales, and to improve morale and motivate employees. Even the accounting staff, a role more generally defined by accounting rules and procedures, can benefit by developing their intuition as it will improve the accuracy of their work and efficiency.

According to a 2006 Annual CEO Survey of 252 U.S. CEOs, 62 percent indicated they are more likely to rely on their intuition than on data-driven analyses and quantitative information when making decisions. Where would you put yourself on this spectrum? In today’s fast-paced environment, the need to make quick decisions in the face of uncertainty is pressing. Organizations do not have time for analysis paralysis. The ability to prioritize projects and resources, quickly get to the root of systemic issues, and identify patterns through volumes of data requires us to turn up the volume on our intuition. Dr. James Watson, Nobel laureate and co-discoverer of DNA, stated, “Intuition isn’t mystical. It’s a sort of background sense of how things should work, its facts hidden in the brain. Intuition is logic.”

Are You Listening to Your Intuition? Are You on the Right Path?

Below is a checklist to begin to assess the degree to which you listen to your intuition in life and work and are on the “right” path. The list below is not all-inclusive. Signs that you are listening to your intuition and are on the “right” path are when you:

□ Are in alignment with what you value □ Do work that is fulfilling, has meaning, and is enjoyable □ Follow your intuition over the opinions and expectations of others □ Trust, in the face of uncertainty, that everything will work out okay □ Are self-aware □ Are open to feedback □ Feel empathy and compassion for others □ Experience doors opening easily for you □ Are often in the right place at the right time (experience synchronicity) □ Can change direction with ease when something isn’t working □ Feel creative □ Can resolve problems and make decisions with ease

□ Are using your greatest strengths and talents □ Feel valued □ Are in tune with the signs your body is delivering to you □ Listen to your gut and heart □ Have confidence in yourself and abilities □ Look forward to your day □ Enjoy your home life □ Feel positive about the future □ Have restful sleep □ Are peaceful □ Enjoy your colleagues and friendships □ Experience life as an adventure; you are curious and enjoy challenges □ Are playful □ Are energetic □ Laugh often and are hap...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half-Title
• Series
• Title
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• Preface
• Editor
• Contributing Authors
• 1 Intuitive Leadership: A Neurological, Psychological, and Quantum Approach to Heighten Intelligence, Innovation, and Performance
• 2 Thinking Outside the Brain™: For Accurate Intuition
• 3 Establishing Intuitive Faculties: Receptivity, Awareness, and Interpretation
• 4 Intuitive Managers across Organizations and Gender
• 5 Solving the Impossible: How to Harness Three Diverse Intuitions in Teams
• 6 Intuition and Deliberation in Morality and Cooperation: An Overview of the Literature
• 7 Integrating Reason and Intuition: An Integrative Approach to Objectivizing Subtle Cues
• 8 How to Filter Cognitive Bias from Intuition: Evolved Decision-Making: A Hunch?
• 9 The Role of Intuition in Risk/Benefit Decision-Making with Research Human Subjects
• 10 On Leading and Making Data-Driven Decisions, or Not
• 11 Studying Intuition and Creativity: Identifying Intuition-Rich Contexts and Candidates for Research
• Index