It is often heard that intuition is the key to success. Intuition is similar to knowing something for certain without knowing it for sure. It is a gut feeling that we somehow know is correct, even though there is no hard data to prove it for certain. It is in fact partly a product of experience, training, and education over the years combined with skills on the feeling side.
Intuition may work with information that is not consciously available and may have been stored in the past or acquired through subliminal or other sensory means. It subconsciously uses more informational horse-power than a rational thinking. It works best when there is a high level of uncertainty or little precedent or variables are not scientifically predictable. It is also useful when facts are limited, or time is limited, or in the face of several plausible alternatives to choose from.
Just as our inner voice tells us what we are doing is all wrong, that we will make a mistake, somewhere in your heart a voice tells you about your decision. That needs to be recognized to develop the ability of intuition. You have to cultivate the habit of listening to your inner self. For the purpose, you need to have a space where mind can chatter and all other judgments are turned down. You have to get in touch with a deeper part of yourself.
Intuition comes into play as a guide for the direction in which the creativity moves. The best way to start in this direction is by finding a relaxation technique that works for you. Though nothing would happen immediately, it would slowly help in giving a direction to your creativity.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
Detecting intuitive responses is difficult. They can be described as feeling cues in terms of a growing excitement, warmth or confidence somewhere in your body. These signals, however, differ from person to person. Different parts of the body act as a special intuitive signal to different persons. To understand this, start a little diary of physical sensations which seem to accompany or herald the development of an idea or decision.
Also keep monitoring the outcome. When you have more than a dozen entries, start looking for patterns. And then cultivate your natural advantage by paying particular attention to it. This way you would exercise, test, and become ready to act upon your intuition.
One method to check whether your intuitive heart is behind a latest idea is to sound out colleagues about it and then watch your reaction to their criticism. If you still support the idea, even if everyone around you is shooting it down, then it is surely your powerful gut feeling.
Next is practice. Since all decisions are not a matter of life and death situations, some chances can be taken. Do not deliberate. Just listen and hear that instantaneous decision you have already made. Act on it immediately and see what happens. Slowly, when you get on more intimate terms with your intuition, put it to work on a problem with minor importance. This way, grow your confidence, till you find it easier to access your intuition.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
Everyone has intuitive ability, but what separates a leader from others is the use of this intuitive ability. The leader often comes to the fore in times of drastic circumstances which demand a completely different, never before used, method of dealing with the unusual situation. This kind of solution can be provided only by a person who has practiced and developed his intuitive abilities. Thus, intuition and leadership abilities go hand in hand.
Leaders are the people who do the right thing, not necessarily things right. They need to work hard to develop a strong sense of direction. They need a clear vision of the future, rather than to simply achieve today’s goals. The surest way of proving competence is to be consistently right. There are several other qualities that a leader has to possess like being honest, broad-minded, competent, courageous, forward-looking, imaginative, inspiring, intelligent, fair-minded, straightforward, etc. But the first basic ingredient of leadership is a guiding vision.
To be able to focus sharply on a future that is filled with creative, fresh ideas. Visionaries are not afraid to explore the uncharted, to draw deeply on their experience, and to broaden that experience tirelessly. They learn by shifting perspective and by educating themselves. They reach out to opportunities that would enable them to change, grow and improve. Thus, they develop a vision for what needs to be done.
The turnaround effort is something that helps in bringing out the visionary. In this method an attempt is made to find a solution by turning around the situation. However, a leader would lack enthusiasm about what he or she is doing if his/her intuition is saying something else. And if a leader does not communicate excitement, he cannot expect his subordinates to get worked up about it. A leader has to trust his instincts and stand up for his convictions.