Most of us are great believers in our intuition. We have come to rely on its uncanny dependability to show us a path when a path isn’t clear. You could almost say that intuition offers instantiation: to represent (an abstract concept) by a concrete or tangible example.
We tend to turn to our intuition when the facts are not plain or when unable to make a concrete decision based on the evidence or dynamics at hand. In other words, we trust our gut.
Generally speaking, trusting one’s intuition is a good thing, but the other reality with “generally” is that it means, “not 100% of the time”.
Intuition is a thing that one knows or considers to be true from an instinctive feeling rather than conscious reasoning. These feelings or sense of something, if you like, are very often based on past experiences.
Example, a child sticks their finger into an electrical outlet. The consequence is a given and, perhaps a year later this same child encounters a similar receptacle in a wall. They may not remember the exact experience but rather, just that it was unpleasant.
As a business to business sales person, it is impossible to ignore the changing world around you. Whether it be technology or, the way the competitive landscape has evolved in your industry, change will be inevitable.
In the sales training component of my business, I am often in the position of asking sales people to consider changing. Sometimes it can be about something that is theoretical and, sometimes it can be about accepting the veracity of a concept or tactic that seems odd as well as out of place in juxtaposition to their intuition, out of sync with what their gut is telling them.
Even when presented with unequivocal evidence that the idea works, in their space and, real time, there remains resistance.
Why, because it conflicts with their intuition. Based on their past experiences, they are unable to comprehend and accept an idea even when it has been proven to them beyond any doubt that it works.
And this ladies and gentlemen is where most of us get stuck in our dependency on the status quo, often by not overriding our “gut” with our “brain”.
Why would someone resist incorporating a skill or action into their lives that could make their life easier, more profitable?
Most people are change adverse, but in order to grow one must embrace change. Most often, change requires moving out of one’s comfort zone, engaging in an act or tactic that contradicts one’s own sense of what will work, and that conflicts with ones intuition.
If you want to grow as a B2B sales professional, then you have to be open to change, even if you’re unable to immediately visualize or “feel” the proposed benefit.
Your “brain” and your “gut” are two different things. Your brain is governed by logic and facts. Your gut is based on emotion.
So, what can you do?
First, be conscious of, and recognize when your intuition kicks in.
Next, keep an open mind. Allow yourself to digest and weigh all the facts of an idea, especially if it seems odd or out of step with how you believe things should work.
Move out of your comfort zone as often as possible. It may not always be fun at first, but it is the only way to grow.
Be prepared to trust others where there is a wealth of experience and significant evidence of credibility.
Finally, the only way to benefit and grow is to remain open to new ideas and to participate in actions or behaviours that may seem ineffective to your gut, but your mind has seen proof that it can work.