[aageneral] Learn More About Your Intuition

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TITLE: Learn More About Your Intuition
AUTHOR: Susan Dunn, MA, The EQ Coach
WORD COUNT: 848
WRAP: 60
URL: http://www.susandunn.cc
Mailto:sdunn@susandunn.cc

"Learn More About Your Intuition,"
by Susan Dunn, MA, The EQ Coach

I train EQ coaches. These coaches work in the field of
emotional intelligence, coaching and training people to be
more effective in their lives through better understanding
and management of emotions, and how it effects their
thinking and wellness.

Although IQ (cognitive intelligence) has been lauded as the
sine qua non in the Western World for centuries we've long
been aware that there's more to successful functioning.

We talk about someone who "has charisma," or "knows how to
get along," or "has great instincts for business." We also
note when someone intelligent does something stupid, or
loses control of a situation or makes poor decisions because
of emotions, that they "have no common sense," or are
"immature," or are "a loose cannon on deck."

In the business world, we might say someone has good "soft"
skills, a misnomer if there ever was one, because these
"soft" skills are hard to come by (ask the MBA business
recruiters) and bring hard results.

We owe a lot of credit to the early researchers in the field
of EQ for naming the concept and defining the competencies.
One of the more controversial ones is intuition.

Intuition is fast, it's effective, and many people can't
explain it. It's "knowing without knowing how you know."
However, if you want to improve yours (you already have it),
you need to know HOW this knowledge is known.

This knowledge is sent and received emotionally and
nonverbally, through bodily sensations, such as a chill up
your spine, sweaty palms, an angry facial expression, or a
menacing posture. Think about how you know what dogs to
fear and which are friendly. However, it also relies on
experience.

Here's an example. You're in a group and someone says
something about Fred. Mary says, "Well that's
understandable because he's on drugs."

What?? you think. Fred on drugs? You never thought of
that. You turn to Mary and say, "How can you say that? How
do you know Fred's on drugs?'

"Are you kidding" Mary replies. "Where have you been?
Anyone could tell."

Well, clearly you aren't part of that "anyone." Whatever
clues Mary's getting are lost on you if you aren't familiar
with what people on drugs look and act like (which is why
there are drug awareness programs for parents.)

Now, how might Mary know? Physicians have created a list of
"conditions" that "suggest" drug use: abnormally dilated
eyes, constricted pupils, involuntary eye movement, glazed
stare, red eyes, flushed face, change of speech, constant
sniffing, increased absences, sudden weight loss, needle
marks, forgetfulness, poor concentration, poor balance or
coordination, constant fatigue or hyperactivity, change in
personality.

Of course, there could be other explanations for any of
these -- a stroke, two nights up with a newborn, allergies,
prescription medication, swimming in a hyper-chlorinated
pool, the flu . But Mary's intuition points her in this
direction because she knows some facts and data that you
don't. She used to work in a rehab center. She's an
"expert," and many experts have moved into the province of
intuition. That's how they work so fast and so well. In a
nano-second they recognize something it would take you a
long time to figure out, or maybe you couldn't at all.

This is the same way savvy HR professionals know which
candidate would be best for the job, how mothers know their
babies are sick, how lawyers know the jury is turning, and
how politicians know which way the wind is blowing. It's
based on a number of factors, including what's called
"implicit memory." Memories you've gathered over time.

Mary used to work with drug addicts. The lawyer has seen a
hundred juries, the HR professional has interviewed and
placed hundreds of candidates, and the mother has intensely
observed her baby. The politician's livelihood depends upon
knowing. (Note that all these people have a vested interest
in being able to "intuit" these things; that's motivation to
notice and remember, which is what we call "learning."

Once you explain to people how to explain, they become
mindful of how they're "pulling these hunches out of thin
air," and that a "gut feeling" is something you literally
feel in your gut.

I asked one seminar participant who claimed to have
excellent intuition how she knew when a decision was the
right now. She said "It's a feeling of absolute certainty."
I asked her to say more. "My whole body relaxes," she said.
"I quit struggling."

Intuition gives us some of the most important information in
our lives. One of the ways to improve your intuition is to
start becoming aware of your bodily signals. Notice during
the day when your stomach tightens, when your toe starts
tapping, and when you start to get a headache. Then
identify possible causes and become curious about what it's
telling you. It should increase your effectiveness, and it
could keep you alive. There's a consultancy in the UK that
trains nuclear engineers (and others in hazardous jobs) how
to use their EQ to stay alive. You can't always "think"
your way through things. You might not have time.

©Susan Dunn, MA, The EQ Coach, http://www.susandunn.cc .
Individual coaching, business programs, Internet courses and
ebooks around emotional intelligence for your personal and
professional development. I train and certify EQ coaches.
Mailto:sdunn@susandunn.cc for more information on this fast,
affordable, comprehensive, no-residency program. Email for
FREE EQ ezine.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

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