overview

Acting on our so-called “gut-feelings” is normal partof our thinking, both at work and at home.

But have you ever wondered what that gut-feeling is, where it comes from, and whether you should really trust it?

Gut-feelings are actually a physical manifestation of what cognitive science calls intuition or intuitive decision making. It is an extremely fast, useful, and reliable way to think and make decisions MOST OF THE TIME!

The fact that intuition has been studied scientifically provides us with knowledge we can use to improve our ability to make fast decisions based on our gut-feelings – and important tool in any line of work!

In particular it allows us to get a better gripon three basic questions:

What is Intuition?

How does it work?

How do we get better at it?

1

2

3

Intuition is NOT the result of psychicor supernatural powers!

It is a cognitive ability that has EVOLVED in response to the demands of our environment – It helps us make decisions in a quick manner whenunder time pressure.

It is, in many ways, a kind of mental “flight or fight response”.

Because it is a cognitive process, it can be learned, sharpened, and honed, and then applied in deliberate ways to make your decision making more effective.

wha

t is it?

What is Intuition?

Intuition is largely a sub-conscious processwhich is why it is so fast!

A key to improving it is to develop simple consciousstrategies to monitor its outputs.

conscious

Intuition works by drawing on your EXPERIENCES to reason about a current situation

It is therefore largely a matter of your EXPERTISE in your job that contributes to the effectiveness of your intuition.

Pattern Matching

Based on experience, the mind constructs a picture of reality by matching inputs, filling in gaps, and making guestimates

Consider the things that you deal with day-in, day-out every week at work.

These experiences form stuff with which your mind subconsciously matches patterns. When a match is found, you register a gut-feeling.

1

how

it works

how it w

orks

Emotional Tagging

When the brains stores or processes a memory,an experience, a prediction or an action, it also storesan associated EMOTION with it.

When our mind matches patterns by comparing a current situation with a past experience, it accesses the emotions with which these past experiences are tagged.

Whether these emotional tags are positive or negative(or neutral) affects our perception of the current situationthe decision we will make.

The current situation will also be emotionally tagged as we consider it, which will also affect what we choose to do.

Now consider the tremendous number of emotionsyou go through every day at work.

These feelings get stored with their associatedexperiences and continue to exert a powerful forceon your decision making well into the future.

2

how

it works

One-plan-at-a-time

When we use our intuition, we do NOT naturally jugglemultiple options – which is how we would actif we were being “rational”.

Rather, we only consider one-plan-at-a-time.Only when we encounter a problem with our plando we cycle back and consider another option.

3

educa

te

How do we get better at it?

Being educated about how intuition works already makes you better at using it. You now have the ability to monitor where your “gut feelings” come from.

Continuing to develop expertise in your job will improve the success of your intuitive gut-feelings

Most importantly, getting better at using your intuition depends on being aware of three things:

The SHORTCUTS our mind takes when we use our intuition;

The BIASES that using these shortcuts can result in; and Some SIMPLE STRATEGIES to overcome these biases

1

2

3

educa

te

Basing our thinking on how a situation, person or thing fits into a category

Representativeness:

shortcut

bias

strategy

Stereotyping or bad analogy

Ask yourself: Is my experience basedon a stereotype or generalization instead of more relevant facts?

Basing our thinking on how easily information and examples can be brought to mind

Availability:

Vividness or First-thing-that-comes to-mind

Ask yourself: Am I too focused on a vivid or easily recallable experience?

shortcut

bias

strategy

When we make a prejudgment we simplify a complex situation by both focusing our attention and ruling things out

Prejudging:

Inappropriately prejudging a situation,person, or challenge

Ask yourself: Are the prejudgments affecting my thinking appropriate and supported by evidence?

For evolutionary reasons we focus on ourselves and what WE need and want

Availability:

Self-serving a.k.a. The “What’s In It For Me?”

Ask yourself: Am I too focused on me at the expense of others and/or my organization?

shortcut

bias

strategy

shortcut

bias

strategy

www.dialecticstrategies.com