# How Leaders Can Develop Their Business Intuition
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2022-06-09
Category: BUSINESS
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/business
Meta Title: Data Vs Intuition: The Key to Effective Decision-Making
Meta Description: Learn how to harness the power of data and gut feel to make informed and impactful decisions as a leader. Take your business intuition to the next level with
URL: https://financedigest.com/how-leaders-can-develop-their-business-intuitionhtml

_By_ **_Paul Owen_** _Founder of_ [_Sales Talent_](https://salestalentuk.com/)

Some leaders seem to have an instinctive flair for business – an intuitive sense of when to clinch a certain deal or which product is going to be the next big thing. Many would go so far as to list [business intuition](https://www.financedigest.com/ceo-riggs-eckelberry-of-originclear-discusses-the-power-of-intuition-in-running-a-successful-business.html "CEO Riggs Eckelberry of OriginClear Discusses the Power of Intuition in Running a Successful Business ") as one of their abilities. However, I [don’t believe](https://www.financedigest.com/1-in-3-adults-dont-believe-school-education-prepared-them-for-adult-life.html "1 in 3 adults don’t believe school education prepared them for adult life") it’s as simple as pure intuition. In fact, when you break it down, this ‘intuition’ becomes something that every [leader can develop](https://www.financedigest.com/3-impactful-ways-that-leaders-can-contribute-to-the-independent-development-of-their-employees.html "3 Impactful Ways that Leaders Can Contribute to the Independent Development of Their Employees"). Here’s how.

**Developing** [data insights](https://www.financedigest.com/marine-big-data-market-to-expand-at-cagr-of-21-5-during-forecast-period-tmr-insights.html "Marine Big Data Market to Expand at CAGR of 21.5% During Forecast Period – TMR Insights")

You [need data](https://www.financedigest.com/leaders-recognise-the-importance-of-green-transport-at-cop27-but-we-need-data.html "Leaders recognise the importance of green transport at COP27, but we need data") to make good decisions. I see too many leaders say, “I just feel this is the right way to go” and, because they ‘feel’ it, they assume it must be right. But it’s often not – and that’s where [data comes](https://www.financedigest.com/power-to-the-people-how-consumers-are-calling-the-shots-when-it-comes-to-data-privacy.html "Power to the people: how consumers are calling the shots when it comes to data privacy") in.

Going with a gut feeling about a [business decision sometimes works](https://www.financedigest.com/despite-return-to-work-virtual-meetings-will-continue-to-disrupt-business-as-usual-in-finance.html "Despite Return to Work, Virtual Meetings Will Continue to Disrupt Business as Usual in Finance") and sometimes doesn’t. Add sound [data into the mix](https://www.financedigest.com/sterling-little-changed-after-mixed-labour-market-data.html "Sterling little changed after mixed labour market data") and the chance of making the right decision increases significantly. A combination of [data and gut feel](https://www.financedigest.com/decision-making-in-times-of-crisis-should-they-be-based-on-gut-feeling-or-data.html "Decision-making in times of crisis: should they be based on gut feeling or data?") is good; feel without data is often ill-informed.

**Sales team case study**

Let’s look at a [sales team as an example of the benefits of using data to drive](https://www.financedigest.com/apples-weak-iphone-sales-drive-first-profit-miss-since-2016.html "Apple’s weak iPhone sales drive first profit miss since 2016") more impactful decision-making.

[Business owners’ feelings about sales teams often lead to bad decisions without data](https://www.financedigest.com/finalised-pan-european-data-protection-laws-set-the-new-standard-for-a-privacy-friendly-business-environment.html "Finalised Pan-European data protection laws set the new standard for a ‘privacy-friendly’ business environment"). For example, [senior leaders](https://www.financedigest.com/senior-leaders-more-at-risk-of-burnout-than-ceos-according-to-new-research.html "Senior leaders more at risk of burnout than CEOs, according to new research") will often feel like a sales team is not working hard enough or not selling proactively enough. In reality, however, the real problems can be quite different.

The [sales team](https://www.financedigest.com/most-sales-and-marketing-teams-struggle-to-activate-data-in-their-organisation-according-to-new-international-study.html "Most Sales and Marketing teams struggle to activate data in their organisation, according to new international study") could have a problem in that they’re not calling the right people, as their data or targeting is flawed. That isn’t a sales problem but a leadership issue. Alternatively, the [sales team might not have clarified the value](https://www.financedigest.com/in-line-transit-time-ultrasonic-flow-meters-sales-are-set-to-be-valued-at-us-337-5-mn-in-2021.html "In-Line Transit Time Ultrasonic Flow Meters sales are set to be valued at US$ 337.5 Mn in 2021") they offer, which is usually down to a lack of proper training.

Another [issue could be that sales staff are talking](https://www.financedigest.com/more-than-one-in-ten-brits-are-embarrassed-to-talk-to-anyone-about-their-money-issues.html "More than one in ten Brits are embarrassed to talk to anyone about their money issues") at people rather than with people. You sell through understanding a client and you understand by listening, not talking. [Sales teams](https://www.financedigest.com/only-17-of-new-leads-converted-as-sales-teams-and-marketers-feel-the-strain.html "Only 17% of new leads converted as sales teams and marketers feel the strain") who haven’t grasped this are unlikely to do well.

Or perhaps the sales team [lacks clarity/belief/conviction about the product](https://www.financedigest.com/carlsbergs-poland-unit-could-stop-production-lack-of-co2-threatens-food-industry.html "Carlsberg’s Poland unit could stop production; lack of CO2 threatens food industry") or service that they are selling. This [feeling can often arise if a team isn’t being treated well by the company](https://www.financedigest.com/shipping-companies-feel-the-heat-as-investors-shun-coal.html "Shipping companies feel the heat as investors shun coal"). Sales, at its best, is the ‘transfer of enthusiasm’ and, if your sales team don’t feel good about the way they’re treated, [trained and managed](https://www.financedigest.com/prince2-and-msp-training-the-rise-of-online-project-management-courses.html "Prince2 and MSP Training: The Rise of Online Project Management Courses"), they have no enthusiasm to share.

All of which demonstrates that a leader’s gut feeling about a sales team’s perceived underperformance can carry very little real weight until the [data behind the team’s performance](https://www.financedigest.com/big-data-lowers-insurance-premiums-and-optimises-business-performance.html "Big Data Lowers Insurance Premiums and Optimises Business Performance") is considered. Any problem with your sales team is normally a visible sign of problems elsewhere – they just come to the surface when you sell. However, the fix is often not in the sales team but elsewhere. Fix the underlying problem(s) and the result will feed into better sales performance.

**Getting your business diagnosis right**

[Intuition vs data](https://www.financedigest.com/the-role-of-intuition-in-an-increasingly-data-driven-world.html "The Role of Intuition in an Increasingly Data-Driven World") is all about analysing a situation and diagnosing the right problem. Would you trust your doctor’s intuition or would you rather they based their diagnosis and subsequent recommendations on facts, training and a trusted process?

By developing your approach to [data analysis](https://www.financedigest.com/comparative-analysis-of-the-best-data-room-providers.html "Comparative Analysis of the Best Data Room Providers") and problem diagnosis, you’ll be in a much strong position to go with your instincts and know that you’re making the right decisions when you do.

_Author bio:_

Paul Owen founded his firm – [Sales Talent](https://salestalentuk.com/) – in London back in 2011. In the decade since, he has helped well over 10,000 people [improve their sales](https://www.financedigest.com/european-junk-debt-sales-spring-back-to-life-as-sentiment-improves.html "European junk debt sales spring back to life as sentiment improves") skills through his consultancy, training services and podcast. He has delivered seminars at 40+ universities and became an Amazon Bestseller and shortlisted for Business Book of the Year 2018 when he published his book, _Secret Skill, Hidden Career_.


---
This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more.
---