Being an intuitive person, I have always wondered about the merits of making decisions based only on my intuition. There have indeed been times, when, having to make a decision quickly, I have relied purely on my intuition. It works many a times, but also fails me sometimes. I am sure we have all had similar experiences.
Recently I was reading a book based on the Toyota Production System ('The Elegant Solution' by Matthew E.May) and I was quite surprised to find a section there, discussing how making decisions based purely on one's intuition can be dangerous. It discusses how solutions that are regulated by mere 'gut instinct' usually never produces the perfect answer to the given problem. This problem arises mainly due to absence of solid facts and thus conventional wisdom rules the day. This means that the problem does not get the scrutiny, objectivity and critical analysis it deserves.
The book then discusses ways to counterbalance intuition and battle convention. One way can be found by using the principle of safety in numbers using patterns, as they offer a logical explanation for what we observe. This can be achieved by running the numbers (the right set of numbers for your business) to discover patterns hidden within the data. This helps to minimise risk and make balanced decisions.
It also lists four key measures that help in fighting intuition - as advocated by Toyota Production System (TPS) engineer Taiichi Ohno:
1. Always temper immediate action
2. Resist drawing conclusions on emotion
3. Question hearsay
4. Draw from experience, but don't rely on it solely.
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