Not making a decision because of a misunderstood want for more data or evidence is quite common in primary care. It can be frustrating and costly to see opportunities disappear while decision makers are unnecessarily paralysed.
Primary care is a world used to evidence, case studies and data, particularly for clinicians, but a lack of confidence to act on your intuition in business, management and leadership situations, when the evidence isn’t there can really hold you back. We might think we’re exercising caution and diligence, but evasiveness and procrastination can be far more costly that the consequences we fear, and that may never happen.
Intuition can be a superpower, and shouldn’t be ignored. it's the culmination of experiences, knowledge, and expertise that enables us to rapidly analyse situations and make decisions. Hesitate and wait, and you might pay a price:
❎ You could lose an opportunity or advantage
❎ Momentum will be slowed or stopped
❎ You’ll frustrate and demotivate the team
❎ Credibility in the leadership will be eroded
If you don’t want that to happen then use your intuition in the right situation:
☑ When a quick decision is needed
☑ When evidence doesn’t exist
☑ When data is incomplete or inconclusive
☑ It’s a situation you’ve never been in before
☑ People factors are a key issue
☑ The costs involved are small
The skill of a leader is in assessing the situation and judging when they can rely on intuition and when they need evidence. So, if you find you’re always hiding behind the need for information, stop, and start trusting your intuition more.
The next time your gut screams "DO IT!"—don't waste time looking for the perfect information that you really don’t need.
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