Decision-making is an art and in today’s corporate world, every employee is expected to excel in it to ensure personal and professional success. The ability to foresee events, called ‘intuition’ or the ‘sixth sense’ is now emerging as a major tool for quick and effective decision-making. Hence, ‘intuition’ is an EQ (Emotional Quotient) component, a pre-requisite for a successful manager.
Sixth Sense
According to Intuition Magazine Online, “Intuition is increasingly recognised as a natural mental faculty, a key element in the creative process, a means of discovery, problem solving and decision-making. Once considered the province of a gifted few, it is now recognised as an innate capacity available to everyone, not a rare, accidental talent, but a natural skill anyone can cultivate”.
Advantages of intuition
Intuition is always quicker and surer. It has a greater grasp on reality because it relies heavily on repetitive experiences.
Confusion, which is reinforced by using logic, is totally uncalled for in intuition. This accelerates clarity of thought.
Intuitive ability primarily helps managers to arrive at emotionally competent decisions.
Developing intuition
Some guidelines:
Refrain from arriving at conclusions by mere logic
Consciously pause and think
Hibernate in silence
Concentrate on first impressions about a problem
Develop a listening ear
Practice, practice and practice!
The essence of the entire exercise is ‘learning to listen to the thoughts-- thoughts instilled by self-assessment ’!
A futuristic vision
A penchant for the magical ability called intuition could bridge the gap between the logical mind and the introspective mind.
What DO you all think?? Does Intuition plays a role in decision making in this so called practical world?
Do share your thoughts on this.
Cheers
Archna
From India, Delhi
Sixth Sense
According to Intuition Magazine Online, “Intuition is increasingly recognised as a natural mental faculty, a key element in the creative process, a means of discovery, problem solving and decision-making. Once considered the province of a gifted few, it is now recognised as an innate capacity available to everyone, not a rare, accidental talent, but a natural skill anyone can cultivate”.
Advantages of intuition
Intuition is always quicker and surer. It has a greater grasp on reality because it relies heavily on repetitive experiences.
Confusion, which is reinforced by using logic, is totally uncalled for in intuition. This accelerates clarity of thought.
Intuitive ability primarily helps managers to arrive at emotionally competent decisions.
Developing intuition
Some guidelines:
Refrain from arriving at conclusions by mere logic
Consciously pause and think
Hibernate in silence
Concentrate on first impressions about a problem
Develop a listening ear
Practice, practice and practice!
The essence of the entire exercise is ‘learning to listen to the thoughts-- thoughts instilled by self-assessment ’!
A futuristic vision
A penchant for the magical ability called intuition could bridge the gap between the logical mind and the introspective mind.
What DO you all think?? Does Intuition plays a role in decision making in this so called practical world?
Do share your thoughts on this.
Cheers
Archna
From India, Delhi
Dear Archana,
Thanx 4 posting such a nice article.What u wrote is very true.
In psychology, intuition can encompass the ability to know valid solutions to problems and decision making. For example, the Recognition Primed Decision (RPD) model was described by Gary Klein in order to explain how people can make relatively fast decisions without having to compare options. Klein found that under time pressure, high stakes, and changing parameters, experts used their base of experience to identify similar situations and intuitively choose feasible solutions. Thus, the RPD model is a blend of intuition and analysis. The intuition is the pattern-matching process that quickly suggests feasible courses of action. The analysis is the mental simulation, a conscious and deliberate review of the courses of action.
An important intuitive method for identifying options is brainstorming.
Intuition is sometimes popularly thought of as the sixth sense. Apparently there are many unconscious processes occurring within a person and when those unconscious signals become strong enough, a conscious thought is experienced. For example, a person might be walking in a dark alley and suddenly, she gets the feeling that something is wrong. Her intuition has become strong enough to warn her about the possible danger. The information that contributes to the intuition comes from different hardly noticeable observations about the environment that a person doesn't consciously register.
Cheers
Neeta
From India, Mumbai
Thanx 4 posting such a nice article.What u wrote is very true.
In psychology, intuition can encompass the ability to know valid solutions to problems and decision making. For example, the Recognition Primed Decision (RPD) model was described by Gary Klein in order to explain how people can make relatively fast decisions without having to compare options. Klein found that under time pressure, high stakes, and changing parameters, experts used their base of experience to identify similar situations and intuitively choose feasible solutions. Thus, the RPD model is a blend of intuition and analysis. The intuition is the pattern-matching process that quickly suggests feasible courses of action. The analysis is the mental simulation, a conscious and deliberate review of the courses of action.
An important intuitive method for identifying options is brainstorming.
Intuition is sometimes popularly thought of as the sixth sense. Apparently there are many unconscious processes occurring within a person and when those unconscious signals become strong enough, a conscious thought is experienced. For example, a person might be walking in a dark alley and suddenly, she gets the feeling that something is wrong. Her intuition has become strong enough to warn her about the possible danger. The information that contributes to the intuition comes from different hardly noticeable observations about the environment that a person doesn't consciously register.
Cheers
Neeta
From India, Mumbai
Hey Neeta, Wow!! :D thanks for your inputs. I really liked what you have mentioned regarding intuition. Hope to receive more thoughts on the same from HR intellectuals. Cheers Archna
From India, Delhi
From India, Delhi
Thanks Archnahr for introducing this interesting subject.
I suspect, like the meaning of life, there are no absolute answers (unless you are a reader of the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy!). But this strikes me as a much under discussed issue in managerial and in learning & development arenas and with intuitive members like you, we can explore this and its impact on Human resources.
Through some other research of which I have been involved in there is increased recognition of the sub-conscious elements operating within organisations, which determine their outcomes and operating culture. This, of course, relates to recent research on e.g. emotional intelligence, quantum physics, and similar topics, in relation to organisational and personnel management.
I think there are some interesting avenues to explore about how unconventional approaches to personal development and personal-insight can be used to illuminate our understanding of behaviour and attitude in the workplace. As one example, some eastern philosophies would highlight the importance of the seven different chakras. Whilst in the west, we tend to focus on the head chakra (mind, brain, logical intuition) as being the prime determinant of our work behaviour, many people may actually be more influenced by their heart chakra, soul chakra, third-eye, etc. We have much yet to discover about these aspects of human influence.
Here are a few more observations
1.Have you read the Intuitive Edge by Philip Goldberg? This provides an interesting link to how the brain works – and is a good place to start. Is intuition the preserve of right brain activity in a workplace dominated by left brain cultures?
2. One school of thought on learning suggests a progression from ‘data’ to ‘information’ to ‘understanding’ and on to ‘wisdom’. This is supported by the similar progression from Unconscious Incompetence (don’t know, can’t do) to Unconscious Competence (can do without thinking) – the intuitive or autonomous response to using our skills and abilities. This tends to be a very Western view.
3. On Eastern philosophy idea, perhaps the epitome of wise intuition is captured in Taoism (try John Heider’s Tao of Leadership). Here wisdom is not about the clever things you know but about the little things you do. It is about a state of mind and a set of beliefs that allows wise thoughts and actions to emerge.
4. I like the concept of ‘advanced common sense’. Most common sense is usually more sense than common, to coin a phrase, and is usually unconstrained by modern business models and formulae. Is common sense therefore based on simple fundamental truths or can there be an advanced version? Does it underpin or does it transcend?
5. Finally, how do we define what is valid or valuable? For example, one person’s insightful intuition is another’s assumption or false interpretation. One person’s wisdom is another’s platitude.
Cheers
Prof.Lakshman
From Sri Lanka, Kolonnawa
I suspect, like the meaning of life, there are no absolute answers (unless you are a reader of the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy!). But this strikes me as a much under discussed issue in managerial and in learning & development arenas and with intuitive members like you, we can explore this and its impact on Human resources.
Through some other research of which I have been involved in there is increased recognition of the sub-conscious elements operating within organisations, which determine their outcomes and operating culture. This, of course, relates to recent research on e.g. emotional intelligence, quantum physics, and similar topics, in relation to organisational and personnel management.
I think there are some interesting avenues to explore about how unconventional approaches to personal development and personal-insight can be used to illuminate our understanding of behaviour and attitude in the workplace. As one example, some eastern philosophies would highlight the importance of the seven different chakras. Whilst in the west, we tend to focus on the head chakra (mind, brain, logical intuition) as being the prime determinant of our work behaviour, many people may actually be more influenced by their heart chakra, soul chakra, third-eye, etc. We have much yet to discover about these aspects of human influence.
Here are a few more observations
1.Have you read the Intuitive Edge by Philip Goldberg? This provides an interesting link to how the brain works – and is a good place to start. Is intuition the preserve of right brain activity in a workplace dominated by left brain cultures?
2. One school of thought on learning suggests a progression from ‘data’ to ‘information’ to ‘understanding’ and on to ‘wisdom’. This is supported by the similar progression from Unconscious Incompetence (don’t know, can’t do) to Unconscious Competence (can do without thinking) – the intuitive or autonomous response to using our skills and abilities. This tends to be a very Western view.
3. On Eastern philosophy idea, perhaps the epitome of wise intuition is captured in Taoism (try John Heider’s Tao of Leadership). Here wisdom is not about the clever things you know but about the little things you do. It is about a state of mind and a set of beliefs that allows wise thoughts and actions to emerge.
4. I like the concept of ‘advanced common sense’. Most common sense is usually more sense than common, to coin a phrase, and is usually unconstrained by modern business models and formulae. Is common sense therefore based on simple fundamental truths or can there be an advanced version? Does it underpin or does it transcend?
5. Finally, how do we define what is valid or valuable? For example, one person’s insightful intuition is another’s assumption or false interpretation. One person’s wisdom is another’s platitude.
Cheers
Prof.Lakshman
From Sri Lanka, Kolonnawa
Hi All,
What a topic to discuss!!! Thanks Archana for beginning the thread.
I was actually starting to collect a few stories to post about this. I do not know if I am correct, but I call this ESP (extra sensory perception). I have been practicing this since my college days and they are really working wonders to me.
There are three basics that needs to be practiced and perfected.
1. Quality Consciousness.
2. Active Imagination.
3. Validate your assumptions.
Example
This is a person's organisation and how disciplined he is. Let me give a daily life example, there are times when we are the last one to leave the house to work and will have to lock the house (I normally don't get a chance!!!). When we do this and are travelling sudenly we get a feeling that we may not have locked the back door or switched off the gas, Geyser, Iron Box, etc. Now, I always suggest that we must go back to check this and then continue to travel to our workplace or ask a neighbour to do it for us (provide them a key and let them have it -- this is active imagination that this situation may arise). If this thought comes to us every day then we are not "quality conscious", and because we are like this, always we assume that everything is ok and so we don't validate your assumptions. This may be a cuase for the disaster. When we go home and see that we have done everything correctly then the whole day will be very productive. If not, in our work conversation with colleagues, if we hear about any of the words -- Geyser, Iron Box, gas, Television, etc -- will make our thoughts to travel to our house situation and we may loose our concentration while working.
More to follow later! Let me know your thoughts.
Best regards
Harsha
From India, Bangalore
What a topic to discuss!!! Thanks Archana for beginning the thread.
I was actually starting to collect a few stories to post about this. I do not know if I am correct, but I call this ESP (extra sensory perception). I have been practicing this since my college days and they are really working wonders to me.
There are three basics that needs to be practiced and perfected.
1. Quality Consciousness.
2. Active Imagination.
3. Validate your assumptions.
Example
This is a person's organisation and how disciplined he is. Let me give a daily life example, there are times when we are the last one to leave the house to work and will have to lock the house (I normally don't get a chance!!!). When we do this and are travelling sudenly we get a feeling that we may not have locked the back door or switched off the gas, Geyser, Iron Box, etc. Now, I always suggest that we must go back to check this and then continue to travel to our workplace or ask a neighbour to do it for us (provide them a key and let them have it -- this is active imagination that this situation may arise). If this thought comes to us every day then we are not "quality conscious", and because we are like this, always we assume that everything is ok and so we don't validate your assumptions. This may be a cuase for the disaster. When we go home and see that we have done everything correctly then the whole day will be very productive. If not, in our work conversation with colleagues, if we hear about any of the words -- Geyser, Iron Box, gas, Television, etc -- will make our thoughts to travel to our house situation and we may loose our concentration while working.
More to follow later! Let me know your thoughts.
Best regards
Harsha
From India, Bangalore
Hi Harsha,
That is very true, what is given in your example.
We really behave in the same manner as described by you.
Intuition for me is a sixth sense, which at many times tell us beforehand what is going to happen in our life.
lets see what others have to say.
Cheers
Archna
From India, Delhi
That is very true, what is given in your example.
We really behave in the same manner as described by you.
Intuition for me is a sixth sense, which at many times tell us beforehand what is going to happen in our life.
lets see what others have to say.
Cheers
Archna
From India, Delhi
I had always given intution the backseat in my thought untill I went through MBTI. There I saw intuiton plays a huge role in shaping up the kind of person you are or traces what kind of personality you are. Its nice of you Archana to think of this as a topic of discussion. Very innovative.
From India, Mumbai
From India, Mumbai
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