Actionable Intuition: Our Innate AI

Using intuition to make better, faster, confident decisions positions us as thought leaders, influencers, and linchpins of the future.

Last time, I introduced the concept of an “Intuition Algorithm”, a way we can make our best decisions by using all of the data available to us. In this post I will lay out another framework (I love a good framework). This framework focuses on how we can practice and improve using our intuition in the decision making process. 

Tapping into our intuition is powerful. People who can synthesize all available information to make better, faster, confident decisions – on and off the clock – will be positioned as thought leaders, influencers and linchpins of the future. When we make decisions as leaders, we must encourage intuition-informed decisions. If bringing intuition to bear in decision-making is the key to tomorrow’s leadership, how do we access its power?

The Intuition Gap

We’ve been taught to not listen to our intuition. We are conditioned to turn away from it, especially if it conflicts with available analytical data. We are told to not trust it. We’ve been made to not believe what we feel. Many of us know the regret of realizing we didn’t act on our intuition. When we hear it and do not do anything - the “oh, I knew that and should have spoken up” feeling.  That’s the reminder. We must re-learn to make decisions not only with our physical senses and brain, but also our intuition. 

Intuition is the Differentiator

My success is grounded in practical knowledge and powered by my intuition. Mentees, team members and friends have asked how I’ve done it.  It’s taken about a year of self-reflection, and now I’ve determined my differentiator is trusting my intuition, acting on it, and harnessing its power to deliver value. 

Through my career, I’ve observed a few keys to my success: 

• Depth of expertise: my practical knowledge of operations, optimization, processes, systems, and strategies 

• Lived experience: applying the lessons I’ve learned from over 20 years of leading  teams across industries and functions

• Ability to realize value: doing the work to implement real, material, lasting change based on my expertise and experience.

• Decision-making muscles: strengthened through analytical frameworks and rooted in my intuition - what I feel called to and which next path pulls me.

Informed Intuition

Daniel Kahneman (z”l), Israeli-American author, psychologist, and Nobel laureate in economics who recently passed at age 90, extensively studied the role of intuition in human decision-making and advocated for what he called "informed intuition."  He  viewed intuition as a valuable input to decision-making, but it should not be blindly trusted. To make good use of intuition, it needs to be "informed" - grounded in expertise and experience.  

Intuitions developed through practice and feedback are more reliable than intuitions formed in unfamiliar situations.  Kahneman advised "delaying your intuition" - taking time to slow down, break down the problem, and consciously evaluate your initial gut reaction before making a decision¹. This allows you to "inform your gut and then trust it." 

Trust Intuition and Act on It

We must have confidence and self-trust to be able to make decisions powered by our intuition. We must develop the reliability and credibility of our intuition through tools, tactics and practices.  

By informing and listening to our intuition, we are more likely to land on leadership decisions that others can support and will follow.

By informing and listening to our intuition, we are more inclined to make decisions aligned with our values. More likely to land on leadership decisions that others can support and will follow. Decisions that are respected and acknowledged. Strong decisions that will influence the path forward. 

The Actionable Intuition Decision Framework

Sounds great, Leah, but how do I do it?  

1. Frame your decision: Determine where you are and what decision you are facing. There are many types of decisions that require us to reconcile the past, present, and our future. Consider the context of the big picture situation you’re in. Understand and think through the root of the issue, true concern, or core of the problem.

2. Identify inputs: Determine how to deconstruct the answer. What inputs do you need for the intuitive algorithm? Are there some elements that will help answer the framing question, such as perspectives, resources or roles needed?   Inputs can be many of the topics I’ve discussed, such as Value, Insight, Empowerment, Wisdom and their respective components like Autonomy, Trust, Data, and others.

3. Explore meaning:  Interpret the meaning of what you feel when you look at the framing of the question and the inputs. Explore what the inputs mean in the context of the question from different perspectives. What is your initial, literal interpretation? What if you thought about the opposite? Or if it is taken to the extreme? When you think about the meaning in terms of other people, is it different than for yourself? Do you agree or disagree with what you are seeing and thinking?  

4. Acknowledge your intuition:  Journaling and talking through these questions with someone you trust are great ways to work through the meaning. Write it down. Discuss it. Meditate on it. Repeat it. Sleep on it. Be able to hear and feel intuition and connect into action.

5. Formulate action: Determine the Next Right Thing to do: what might an action look like? Identify options that put intuition to use by considering where it might lead if you followed through. To determine action, you might consider:

   • What would be awesome in a year or two from now (your “North Star”)? 

   • What do you need to get to that North Star? 

   • Is there an action for each question, answer, input? 

   • Are there more decisions needed to address the issue? 

   • How might you demonstrate progress or an outcome? 

   • Is there a timeline or other way to measure when an action is completed? 

   • Are you able to take the action independently or do you need someone else to help? If so, how do you influence them to assist you? 

   • What factors can you directly control? 

   The answers to these questions will enable you to be more confident, clear, and autonomous. They will help you set actionable goals to move forward.

6. Take a step:  Do the Next Right Thing that begins to set this course in action. The step that produces something that is different; the outcome visible in the next few months.  It is important to act with a timeline because you know when you should expect to see the result, and if you don’t see it, you can determine what to change. 
   
   An action can be as small as telling somebody who can hold you accountable.  Knowing that someone expects to see your result is a powerful motivator for many.  I’ve found that I get so excited about my plans that I  subconsciously wind up sharing with anyone who asks me, “what’s new?” This also moves us toward empowerment through expansion. Talking with people provides more clarity on how I get to my North Star when I hear perspectives from others and often reinforcement through validation of my ideas.

7. Gut check: How does it feel once you shared your intention and took action? How do the decisions feel? What feels right now? Checking in with your intuition increases the ability to trust your judgment, decision making ability, and credibility of your intuition.  You may recall that credibility is a key component of trust. 

   
   I want to be trusted and I need to trust myself. I do this by respecting the ideas and feelings I have, being reliable in the actions I take, and being credible about the direction in which I’m heading. I trust myself and my intuition because I know myself and where I am meant to go. I am going to get there and it will be better than my wildest visualization. I am trusted because I trust myself. 

8. Repeat. Ask good questions to figure out the next Next Right Thing. Do it and then keep going.

The Actionable Intuition Decision Framework

The VIEW on Actionable Intuition

The VIEW framework is a guide to navigate the Actionable Intuition decision-making process.  Each step leads us down a path on the map of our own making toward our true conviction.  

• V - Intuition is rooted in our Values. Strong, actionable intuition and amplifies our value. Where to? What is my North Star? Here we get clear on our values, and the value I provide to my ecosystem. 

• I - Intuition pulls from Insight. Do I go left or right? Here we check on insights from others (perspective) and data to inform our intuition. How do I feel about these choices?  

• E - Intuition is a key to Empowerment. Confidence in our intuition compounds and continues to keep us moving, builds motivation and fuels forward progress.   

• W - Intuition draws from Wisdom. Reflecting on our own and others’ learnings charges our intuition for the next phase of the journey. 

Progress through Action

Acting on our intuition and making changes progresses us closer to our North Star. Thoughts and feelings without action are just wishful thinking.  Trusting that we know what to do and how to do it empowers us to make the change we want to see in our work, our life, and our world.

What questions do you have about Actionable Intuition and making intuition-informed decisions?  Let me know in the comments.

1. I particularly enjoy the story of Daniel Kahneman’s study with the Israeli army that I heard on Adam Grant’s Re:Thinking podcast. Kahneman found that the best hiring decisions were made when decision makers used informed intuition - when they reviewed candidates’ traits and then put that data aside. Then they would close their eyes and use their intuition to select a candidate and make a decision. Data alone and intuition alone each performed worse than the informed intuition - overall impression of a candidate - to make decisions.

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