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Running a profitable business is rarely about being lucky – although even the most successful businesses have had their fair share of it. Instead, it takes a combination of acquired skills, patience, and a great team working together toward common goals.
However, when it comes to building the right team for your business, simply hiring individuals with the best set of skills isn’t typically enough to get the results you want. Getting the most out of your employees requires real effort and the right leadership qualities.
Although not all leaders are created equal, there are some fundamental strengths that all should work at developing. Having intuition is an important characteristic of modern business leaders and can make the difference between “managing” a team and “leading” a team to success.
What Does It Mean to Have Intuition?
Human intuition is something that’s hardwired into our brains and works on a subconscious level to react and adapt to unexpected situations or experiences as they occur. Intuition isn’t just something that comes naturally due to the things individuals learn in school or from their parents. Rather, it’s a culmination of life experiences, including successes and failures, that helps someone make quick but rational decisions with little information or perspectives provided.
Most people, when referencing their intuition, talk about their “gut feelings” or the “voice in their head,” pointing them to choose one path over another. The source of these feelings can be hard to explain since they don’t just originate from one life experience. However, when intuition is strengthened over time, it can be a powerful addition to an individual’s leadership qualities.
Different Types of Intuition
While everyone’s intuition is different and unique based on their own personal and professional experiences, there are typically four different types of intuition used by leaders in business settings:
Expert Intuition
Most business leaders use a combination of skills and experience they’ve gained over the years to help develop their teams. Expert intuition is something that takes time to hone but can be incredibly useful when being able to see patterns that not everyone else can without needing to look at data reports or charts. This form of intuition can also help to spot new problems or opportunities before they fully materialize and become evident to others.
Creative Intuition
When most people look at situations at face value, leaders with creative intuition see something different. For example, when faced with new challenges, some individuals may be immediately intimidated by overcoming them. Creative intuition allows leaders to view most challenges as simply alternative routes to getting something done. They’re able to “think outside the box” and aren’t afraid to adapt their approaches as the need arises.
Social Intuition
While being able to anticipate company needs or recognize potential sales opportunities is important as a business leader, being able to discern how employees are feeling or responding to situations is also important. Social intuition is when leaders have a strong sense of awareness of the emotional states of others and are able to help them navigate through difficult situations. This type of intuition helps teams stay cohesive and minimize toxic office behaviors.
Temporal Intuition
Some leaders always seem to be in the right place at the right time. Having a good sense of timing isn’t something that just comes naturally to many people, though. This can also be a form of temporal intuition that helps an individual better anticipate the needs of others or the business and have a willingness to contribute when it’s needed the most.
How is Having Intuition Beneficial for Growing Businesses?
Businesses with company leaders who have developed intuition over the years can be highly valuable. Below are some examples of why having and using intuition in business is so important:
Faster and More Accurate Decision Making
Most organizations operate in competitive environments where every decision you make can be critical. Sometimes, waiting for all the answers to become clear before choosing a company direction isn’t reasonable, and leaders must make decisions quickly. Having intuition allows you to make the most logical decisions even when working with limited information, helping create shorter turnaround times and better outcomes.
More Creative Thinking
When company leaders have the confidence they need to follow their intuition, even when it means challenging conventional ways of thinking, it helps them to inject more creativity into the workplace. This helps to create a much more positive company culture that encourages employees to become more innovative in their work and can make it easier for everyone to remain agile to changing marketing demands.
Increased Employee Engagement Levels
Intuitive leaders have a great way of connecting with their employees on a deeper level, helping them to maximize their value. They are skilled at actively listening to employee ideas while also demonstrating to them that they respect and welcome their unique perspectives to help improve the business. This involves following both verbal and nonverbal cues and using this information to help make better decisions for teams and the business overall.
Helpful Ways to Build and Maintain Strong Intuition
Intuition isn’t just something that happens by accident, or that can’t be controlled or improved. In fact, intuition can also be referenced as a skill that can be honed over time. Below are some practical ways you can strengthen your own intuition.
Be More Mindful of Your Needs
In order to build stronger intuition, it’s important to spend more time meditating on your own thoughts and emotions. With so many things going on day to day, it’s easy to lose touch with our inner selves and what drives and motivates us. To improve your self-awareness, think about trying meditation, spending time outdoors separate from technology, or journaling to help you better articulate and understand your thoughts and feelings.
Think About What You’ve Learned
Hands-on experience is an invaluable asset, and it’s something that takes time to acquire. As you go through challenges in business and in your personal life, it’s important to pause and reflect on the lessons you’ve learned along the way. By taking the time to analyze the roadblocks you’ve faced and how you overcame them, you’ll sharpen your instincts and decision-making abilities.
Listen More, Talk Less
Strengthening intuition also requires you to become an attentive observer. Pay close attention to the dynamics of your workplace and the individuals in it. By understanding the motivations and perspectives of your employees, you’ll be better equipped to anticipate their needs and address potential conflicts proactively if and when they arise.
Don’t Be Afraid of Change
Our intuition is fueled by the information we absorb. Look for opportunities to learn and grow, whether it’s through reading, attending industry events, or engaging in conversations with other professionals. The more you expose yourself to new ideas and experiences, the stronger your intuition will become.
Start Strengthening Your Intuition
Developing your intuition can be a powerful asset in both your professional and personal life. By practicing the strategies outlined, you’ll be equipped to tackle obstacles and uncover new possibilities that can drive your business forward.
