Intuition and decision making

Trends tend to come and go. Just a few short decades ago, the ideal leader was a rational, objective and disciplined decision-maker. After that, he was supposed to be a visionary, with the ability to steer the right course in an uncertain environment. Then rose the star of the intuitive leader model, culminating with the new economy bubble.

Today, several contradictory voices can be heard. The rational model is now making a big comeback, telling us that future shouldn’t be predicted ,but analyzed using scenarios. At the same time, however, conclusions based exclusively on the numbers are viewed with a skeptical eye. Leaders are supposed to step back from the numbers and take account of intangible factors. They must therefore be able to leave room for subjective understanding.

How reliable is intuition? When and under what circumstances can it be used? Our analysis of the most convincing texts on the subject points to the following conclusions:

– Intuition is an extraordinary human faculty that can sometimes be very relevant.

– Yet, intuitive convictions can be misleading: discover the potential traps.

– The best decision-makers rely mostly on solid analyses, backed up with intuition.

– Intuition can be developed: discover how to reinforce the accuracy and reliability of your intuitions.