Could your gut be trying to tell you something? How your ‘gut instinct’ could be your greatest ally.

You find yourself in a situation which makes you feel uncomfortable & you cannot work out why.

It could be a job interview, meeting someone new, a social setting, being confided in or being a business owner & feeling concerned about a customer/client. Whatever it is, something has got you bothered about the situation & you just cannot work out what. What could be happening is that your gut is trying to tell you something.

Trusting your gut instinct seems too many to be a way of making the wrong decision. If there is a need to back up a decision with hard data, several meetings & a Power Point presentation; then can you still make a judgement just because it doesn’t ‘feel’ right?

The late great Steve Jobs was a firm believer in trusting his gut instinct “You have to trust in something – your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.” & he became the face of the most iconic mobile phone & IT business in the world.

But what does it mean to trust your gut feelings & is there actually a psychological or physiological reason for this sensation?

We all make decisions based on our own interpretation of a given situation. However, in business CEO’s, Managing Directors, Senior Leadership Teams, Managers & Business owners alike all have to make unfathomable amounts of decisions on a daily basis & most of these can have a direct impact on their business, their employees or their sector outcomes.

A plethora of questions can make challenging decision making even harder, when the decisions which needs to be made somehow do not seem to sit right. Is this candidate right for the job? Do I take the merger, even though it just doesn’t feel right? Should I expand my team, even though there are cuts throughout the employment structure? Do I settle for second best, even though my gut is telling me to step away? Do I stick at this & make the best of a bad/good situation?

A powerful force known as the ‘gut instinct’ helps us make seemingly rational decisions every single day.

Research suggests that we actually make more than 99% of our involuntary decisions each day, merely based on how we ‘feel’ & not basing any of these decisions on informed research or data. We make decisions seemingly absentmindedly, however there is something much more powerful at work & it’s in our gut.

Daily involuntary decision making comes from a form of second brain called the enteric nervous system. The enteric nervous system is made up of lots of neurons that line the stomach. These systems can recommend feelings of excitement or stress – regardless of if you’re aware of them or not.

‘The enteric nervous system that regulates our gut is often called the body’s “second brain.” Although it can’t compose poetry or solve equations, this extensive network uses the same chemicals and cells as the brain to help us digest and to alert the brain when something is amiss. Gut and brain are in constant communication.’ (1)

However, how can the enteric nervous system help in business or decision making scenarios?

We’ve already learnt that Steve Jobs based his decision making using the ‘second brain’, but what about when we need to make those life changing decisions? Do we simply rely on just gut instinct or do we combine this with research & data back up? Psychologist Daniel Kahneman calls the process of involuntary decision making “System 1” thinking & those life altering decisions “System 2” thinking. System 1 thinking is reactive, however System 2 thinking relies on data back up to make an informed decision.

‘If you’re considering forming a partnership with somebody but have a nebulous feeling of unease, Psychologist Bruce Pfau suggests free-associating. “Let your mind start putting words to what it is about this person that’s making you uncomfortable. It can start with something vague. ‘I just have the feeling he’s not going to be a good partner.’ ” (2)

Therefore, what does this mean for those in business & in senior management roles?

There are plenty of data models which can be used to assess a working partnership validity & worth, CV’s & references are a superb way of finding the right candidate for your next role & industry inside information is one of the best ways to know if you are travelling in the right direction. However, if your System 1 thinking, your ‘gut instinct’ feels that something is not right, maybe it is time to start listening to it.

Written by Katy-Jane for & on behalf of Virtually Smart Ltd