Five Ways To Invite Intuition To Your Training Session
Five Ways To Invite Intuition To Your Training Session
Take advantage of uncertain times in the business environment to introduce the prospect of increasing intuitive skills with your training participants. This can be done by introducing intuitive intelligence as a novel and creative approach to obtain solutions not normally achieved through logic and fact. Having a more intuitive workforce can add high value for the company by anticipating solutions at early stages of problem identification, improving client satisfaction and even increasing workforce retention.
The secret for you as a trainer is to know when and how to introduce this kind of thinking in a relevant way.
The simple definition of intuitive intelligence is "knowledge that arrives spontaneously, beyond any known information or apparent thought process". The polar opposite is intellectual knowledge, born in fact and logic. In a fully functioning person both processes operate fluidly and seamlessly. However traditional organizations have operated with a bias against intuition, except for very senior executives, certain talented individuals, entrepreneurs or creative departments like marketing. Contemporary organizations, laden with analysts and information often fail in using solely reason-based approaches.
Intuitive approaches are ideal add-ins for "people-based" training sessions such as communication, customer service, negotiation skills, and team-building interventions.
It is vitally important that you know your organizational culture; it's readiness, tolerances, and comfort levels. One thing you should know is that intuitive perceptions usually reveal the true situation at a deeply personal level, it doesn't deceive. So, if the culture is open and truly values people it will be easy. But if self-deception is a survival skill in your organization, think twice.
Also it helps that you have the strength and confidence to lead something a little different.
Knowing whom to train is also important. This type of training is best suited for decision makers -- knowledge workers, people with influence, client service personnel, professionals, managers and executives. Typically workers with higher education are those who benefit most, also those whose job functions involve people to a high degree.
Keep the exercises relevant and applicable to the business environment where possible. Avoid discussion that downgrades to personal psychic experience and the like, which distracts from the real value of intuitive intelligence and it's potential for revealing significant true paths and solutions. Again, keeping the training at a certain "capability level" for staff is important. I have only experienced the former when staff is at a very low level of organizational responsibility.
I've learned some interesting things along the way with our training program which is a core intuitive skills training using proprietary methods to tap insight. The first is that having a corporate dialogue on intuition is a real icebreaker. You can audibly and tangibly feel the relief that people have in being able to talk about intuitive intelligence in a business setting. Invariably I am always asked the same question about gender differences with intuitive capability, that women are naturally intuitive and men less so. What I have found is that both women and men are able to use the our processes equally well, but males in a corporate setting are more vocal about their delight in being able to use a "system" that works effectively to tap intuitive insight. Many users of both genders comment on the soundness of the method. I am inclined to believe that intuitive skill is a human attribute, not a gender attribute, but that also by conditioning men and women have applied and used it to different ends in accordance with societal roles.
One of our current challenges in business is to start building value for the use of intuitive intelligence as a skill. We have long become habituated to other ways of thinking, ways that typically close down intuition. New habits and extending our capabilities are a contemporary requirement. Once we do this we can see new applications.
Pure "Intuitive Skills" modules are best suited as curriculum content for leadership development, management, innovation, team-building and problem-solving courses. These can be taught easily in 1/2 day or full day. For individual development there is a positive correlation with performance. Once skills are established, the facilitation of intuitive scenarios is strongly useful in the vision stage of strategic planning.
Here are five ways you can bring intuition into your training sessions:
1. INTUITION SMARTIES WARM-UP
Use this at the beginning of a training session as a fun way to loosen people up for some tougher work later. A version on the old favorite. Pass the smarties and ask each person to find a partner and "intuitively" guess things about them that they wouldn't know otherwise, one for each smartie. They can actually write them down quietly before sharing them with each other. Later you can ask them how "close" their revealings were to being true.
2. INTUITIVE LISTENING EXERCISE
Use this as an experiential learning exercise in client service training, communications skills or team building. Have pairs of participants take turns discussing a recent work incident that they are concerned about. While participant A explains, participant B just listens to the unspoken feelings and senses ignoring the words. When finished "B" frames his/her senses/feelings as if B were A. E.g.: "I felt trapped in the situation, a lot of pressure to perform and not a strong feeling of support." Then B suggests a potential new approach via intuitive intelligence and asks A how this could be helpful to them. Then roles are reversed.
3. INTUITIVE PROBLEM-SOLVING EXERCISE
Ask each person to contemplate an irresolvable current business problem that they would like intuitive insight on. Then ask them to imagine they already know the solution. Have them focus on this intently for 1-2 minutes. After that ask them to let all thoughts go and simply write down a free flow of solutions without assessment or critical review of any kind. When they are finished engage a small group dialogue, or in pairs, about the difference in perspective between approaches they've tried and this approach.
4. INTUITIVE FACILITATION
Most skilled facilitators would agree that intuitive perception plays a large role in their abilities. But when there is so much going on in the room how do you easily stop and check in with yourself so you aren't overwhelmed with all the data and other people's feelings? An easy way to do this, even while standing up in front of a room is to just "hear" your heart beat for a few moments, get calm and even, and then continue to be present for the group. Your ocean of calmness will refresh any atmosphere and you will effectively prevent trainer burnout.
5. INTUITION SOCIAL "EXPERIMENT"
This is a good reality training experiment for intact teams/work groups. All must agree before proceeding. For one week, everyone attempts to solve problems intuitively (of course doing the usual work but when needs for solutions present, these are arrived at intuitively, either individually or at meetings). At the end of the week at a pre-agreed meeting the team meets and debriefs as follows: how the experiment worked, what happened, what was risky, what was not, how they felt about it, what results were achieved, the value of the results, both short-term and long-term, and what new learning can be built into their work processes
Five Ways To Invite Intuition To Your Training Session - To learn more about this author, visit Arupa Tesolin's Website.
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Copyright 2002 by Arupa Tesolin, Intuita
Take advantage of uncertain times in the business environment to introduce the prospect of increasing intuitive skills with your training participants. This can be done by introducing intuitive intelligence as a novel and creative approach to obtain solutions not normally achieved through logic and fact. Having a more intuitive workforce can add high value for the company by anticipating solutions at early stages of problem identification, improving client satisfaction and even increasing workforce retention.
The secret for you as a trainer is to know when and how to introduce this kind of thinking in a relevant way.
The simple definition of intuitive intelligence is "knowledge that arrives spontaneously, beyond any known information or apparent thought process". The polar opposite is intellectual knowledge, born in fact and logic. In a fully functioning person both processes operate fluidly and seamlessly. However traditional organizations have operated with a bias against intuition, except for very senior executives, certain talented individuals, entrepreneurs or creative departments like marketing. Contemporary organizations, laden with analysts and information often fail in using solely reason-based approaches.
Intuitive approaches are ideal add-ins for "people-based" training sessions such as communication, customer service, negotiation skills, and team-building interventions.
It is vitally important that you know your organizational culture; it's readiness, tolerances, and comfort levels. One thing you should know is that intuitive perceptions usually reveal the true situation at a deeply personal level, it doesn't deceive. So, if the culture is open and truly values people it will be easy. But if self-deception is a survival skill in your organization, think twice.
Also it helps that you have the strength and confidence to lead something a little different.
Knowing whom to train is also important. This type of training is best suited for decision makers -- knowledge workers, people with influence, client service personnel, professionals, managers and executives. Typically workers with higher education are those who benefit most, also those whose job functions involve people to a high degree.
Keep the exercises relevant and applicable to the business environment where possible. Avoid discussion that downgrades to personal psychic experience and the like, which distracts from the real value of intuitive intelligence and it's potential for revealing significant true paths and solutions. Again, keeping the training at a certain "capability level" for staff is important. I have only experienced the former when staff is at a very low level of organizational responsibility.
I've learned some interesting things along the way with our training program which is a core intuitive skills training using proprietary methods to tap insight. The first is that having a corporate dialogue on intuition is a real icebreaker. You can audibly and tangibly feel the relief that people have in being able to talk about intuitive intelligence in a business setting. Invariably I am always asked the same question about gender differences with intuitive capability, that women are naturally intuitive and men less so. What I have found is that both women and men are able to use the our processes equally well, but males in a corporate setting are more vocal about their delight in being able to use a "system" that works effectively to tap intuitive insight. Many users of both genders comment on the soundness of the method. I am inclined to believe that intuitive skill is a human attribute, not a gender attribute, but that also by conditioning men and women have applied and used it to different ends in accordance with societal roles.
One of our current challenges in business is to start building value for the use of intuitive intelligence as a skill. We have long become habituated to other ways of thinking, ways that typically close down intuition. New habits and extending our capabilities are a contemporary requirement. Once we do this we can see new applications.
Pure "Intuitive Skills" modules are best suited as curriculum content for leadership development, management, innovation, team-building and problem-solving courses. These can be taught easily in 1/2 day or full day. For individual development there is a positive correlation with performance. Once skills are established, the facilitation of intuitive scenarios is strongly useful in the vision stage of strategic planning.
Here are five ways you can bring intuition into your training sessions:
1. INTUITION SMARTIES WARM-UP
Use this at the beginning of a training session as a fun way to loosen people up for some tougher work later. A version on the old favorite. Pass the smarties and ask each person to find a partner and "intuitively" guess things about them that they wouldn't know otherwise, one for each smartie. They can actually write them down quietly before sharing them with each other. Later you can ask them how "close" their revealings were to being true.
2. INTUITIVE LISTENING EXERCISE
Use this as an experiential learning exercise in client service training, communications skills or team building. Have pairs of participants take turns discussing a recent work incident that they are concerned about. While participant A explains, participant B just listens to the unspoken feelings and senses ignoring the words. When finished "B" frames his/her senses/feelings as if B were A. E.g.: "I felt trapped in the situation, a lot of pressure to perform and not a strong feeling of support." Then B suggests a potential new approach via intuitive intelligence and asks A how this could be helpful to them. Then roles are reversed.
3. INTUITIVE PROBLEM-SOLVING EXERCISE
Ask each person to contemplate an irresolvable current business problem that they would like intuitive insight on. Then ask them to imagine they already know the solution. Have them focus on this intently for 1-2 minutes. After that ask them to let all thoughts go and simply write down a free flow of solutions without assessment or critical review of any kind. When they are finished engage a small group dialogue, or in pairs, about the difference in perspective between approaches they've tried and this approach.
4. INTUITIVE FACILITATION
Most skilled facilitators would agree that intuitive perception plays a large role in their abilities. But when there is so much going on in the room how do you easily stop and check in with yourself so you aren't overwhelmed with all the data and other people's feelings? An easy way to do this, even while standing up in front of a room is to just "hear" your heart beat for a few moments, get calm and even, and then continue to be present for the group. Your ocean of calmness will refresh any atmosphere and you will effectively prevent trainer burnout.
5. INTUITION SOCIAL "EXPERIMENT"
This is a good reality training experiment for intact teams/work groups. All must agree before proceeding. For one week, everyone attempts to solve problems intuitively (of course doing the usual work but when needs for solutions present, these are arrived at intuitively, either individually or at meetings). At the end of the week at a pre-agreed meeting the team meets and debriefs as follows: how the experiment worked, what happened, what was risky, what was not, how they felt about it, what results were achieved, the value of the results, both short-term and long-term, and what new learning can be built into their work processes
Five Ways To Invite Intuition To Your Training Session - To learn more about this author, visit Arupa Tesolin's Website.
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Leanne Hoagland-SmithAre your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/red-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website |
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John BrennanJohn Brennan Ed.D. Dr. Brennan is President of Interpersonal Development, LLC, a training and development firm. Interpersonal Development has provided sales training and coaching to more than 3,000 sales reps from over 100 companies. A native of Australia, Dr. Brennan received his doctorate from the University of Rochester. His dissertation researched the effectiveness of Behavioral Modeling Technology in training people in interpersonal skills. While he has spent most of his career designing or delivering training, he was also a Vice-President of Sales of a training and development franchise with operations in 25 markets. Dr. Brennan has designed and delivered sales training in North America, Asia, Europe, Australia and the Middle East. He has been a guest speaker at numerous national and regional professional conferences. When Microsoft wanted Best Practices articles on sales for their web site, they called Dr. Brennan. The results are at http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/FX011387391033.aspx His firm’s clients have included Volvo, The Prudential, Merrill Lynch, Eastman Kodak, Gannett, Equifax Europe, the Economist Group and countless small businesses. - Visit John Brennan's Website |
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Linda RichardsonLinda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching — Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nation’s Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website |
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Dave KurlanDave Kurlan is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website |
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Staging DivaDebra Gould, aka The Staging Diva®, is President of Six Elements Inc., an internationally recognized home staging company. Inspired by many requests from aspiring home stagers wanting to start similar businesses, Gould created the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program. Gould has trained over 1000 Staging Diva Graduates worldwide to start staging businesses. Buying decorating and selling six of her own homes in four years lead to an interest in real estate staging which she turned into a career with the launch of sixelements.com in 2002. Since then she has staged hundreds of homes in addition to teaching home staging training. Gould is the author of several home staging resources including a series of popular ebooks made up of a Design Guide, Color Guide and Portfolio Guide. For more information about Debra Gould visit stagingdiva.com. - Visit Staging Diva's Website |
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