We can think of life as a path, filled with many decisions. While on this path, we will have to change course and make decisions based on the data we have available. Much like how artificial intelligence does, our brains take that information and process it. This allows us to make decisions and choose paths. This is called intuition.

Intuition is at the forefront of much of our decision-making and thus plays a vital role in our leadership skills.

What is Intuition?

Intuition is described as, “the ability to understand something instinctively, without the need for conscious reasoning.”

Intuition is the ability to take in the data around you along with your experience and make a decision when there is no certain outcome. Life is full of uncertainties and having the ability to adjust and think intuitively will help you immensely in your journey to becoming a better leader.

Learn to Look at Data

Emotions can often cloud our judgement, but data can help us to take in what’s real and make the best decision possible. Look at the data points around you, take in the signs, and use it to make the best decision possible.

Blocking out emotions and focusing on the data can be hard, identifying the signs can be even harder, but with time and experience you too can master the skill.

Intuition Affecters

There are several factors that affect your intuition. Here are the five intuition affecters:

1. Experience – dealing with difficult decisions and situations where you had to rely on your intuition will help you in making better use of your intuition going forward.
2. Networks –Networks can help you learn from others and their experiences, helping you to improve your intuition.
3. EQ – EQ or Emotion Intelligence is important as one can never truly block out all emotion. But being able to manage and understand your emotion can help you to have better intuition.
4. Risk Tolerance – You use intuition when there is no clear-cut way to go, it thus involves some risk. Being able to understand and gauge the risk of a decision can help you to make better intuitive decisions.
5. Limits – we all have limits, and knowing yours will allow you to stay within your limits and not push yourself too hard.

Intuition Will Help You to Make Better Bets

We spoke in a previous article about how you have to bet on people. Betting is largely based on intuition, as you cannot know for certain what the outcome of something will be.

Improving your intuition will allow you to make better bets as a leader.