What is your gut telling you?

In a business world increasingly dominated by quantification and analytical decision making, managers may be inclined to ignore a gut feel they get, only to find that their gut was right all along. Let’s look at why your gut feel is usually right and how to combine it with good analysis for better decision making.

What is gut feel?

If you have taken one of our Advanced Communication and Persuasion programs, then you already know that the subconscious mind processes millions of pieces of information in the same time as the conscious mind processes seven.

So your subconscious is taking larger quantities of information and putting it into context using all of your experiences and intelligence.

The expression, ‘Let me sleep on it’ is based on letting your subconscious mind process all the known information so you will be better able to come to best possible answer.

So your gut feel is a physiological result of your entire personal context of information and experience. If you choose to ignore it, you do so at your own peril.

Why don’t people trust their gut more?

It is no secret that many people, including those who appear successful on the outside have issues of low self esteem and self confidence. These feelings of one’s own sense of worth are a block to trusting the messages your gut is sending you.

Analysis Paralysis

Supporters of systematic problem solving, six sigma and other highly structured analytical processes can sometimes overdo the analysis instead of putting the data and information into context with other issues.

Relying strictly on a highly analytical conscious-mind analysis will often lead to linear thinking. A causes B. In reality most situations involve the interrelation of many different variables in a dynamic environment. The subconscious is capable of processing all these inputs.

Experience provides the subconscious with greater accuracy

It is through the making of many mistakes and trying a number of different experiences which builds the context of being able to distinguish between what works and what does not work. Having an open mind allows you to go back and try something that didn’t work before to see if it might work in different circumstances.

First impressions occur instantly

Studies have indicated that many people form their first impressions within only four seconds. For many people, these first impressions are based on gut feel. It can be difficult to explain why your gut is telling you something because it is the culmination of so many factors.

How to get better at listening to your gut

• Pay attention to the little signals your gut sends you. In the past you may have ignored them at your peril. Find a way to amplify those signals so that your future regrets will be minimized.

• Believe in yourself. Your mind has processed all of the information from your past and learned from your past experiences.

• Let your gut signal you to gather more information to either prove it right or wrong.

Learn more about how to influence the thought patterns of others through one of these programs:

Advanced Communication and Persuasion Skills – Persuasion Dynamics workshop: www.PersuasionSuccess.com

Communication and Persuasion Skills for the HR Professional – a 3-hour audio learning program www.RespectForHR.com

Communication and Persuasion Skills for the Quality Professional – a 3-hour audio learning program www.RespectForQuality.com

Create a Positive and Accountable Leadership Team in Your Organization

Let’s have a conversation about how we help create a more accountable and constructive leadership team at the management, supervisory and lead hand/team leader level.

Call (866)700-9043 or email info@uniquedevelopment.com