When Not to Trust Your Gut Reaction - and When to Trust It
Copyright Jack Mixner. 714 449 1040. www.mixnerstrategy.com
Let's say you have a very important decision to make.
You feel like your normal self, capable to high-level decisions accurately based on the facts. Research says that's a good time to trust your intuition and go ahead and finalize your decision by taking action (Dreifus).
Let's say you are getting beat up in the marketplace, nothing is going right, and you need to make a crucial decision by late today. Do you do it?
Researchers say the equivalent of "Take the weekend off, gather more information, ask for advice, and, then, make your decision (Dreifus)."
Makes sense to me. I am amazed about how a good night's sleep on a stressful decision gives me additional insight I am glad for. Now we know why.
And what to do when your gut reaction says there is something wrong at your company? Question authority. Ask questions. Derive new strategies to convince management to change. Insubordination isn't probably a very good idea, but, again, ask hard questions at appropriate times.
Kaplan lays out a whole scenario that politically is maybe too hot to handle. The discussion is about whether the Generals and senior staff in Iraq have crucial decisions that are proving wrong, without accountability. Cast the hot stuff aside, however, and look at the strategy dialog underlying the discussion. Lower level officers are trying to make themselves heard in a system that doesn't recognize questioning of authority. How to proceed depends on someone making the correct gut decision.
It is probably worth taking some time at your company to examine your decision-making processes. Make sure there is a role for dialog - and dissension.
Reference
Dreifus, Claudia. Through Analysis Gut Reaction Gains Credibility. New York Times. 30 August 2007. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/28/science/28conv.html?_r=1&ref=science&oref=slogin
Kaplan, Fred. Challenging the Generals. New York Times. 30 Aug 2007. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/26/magazine/26military-t.html?_r=1&oref=slogin&pagewanted=print