An uneasy feeling can be the beginning of a useful question. It may also reflect a familiar anxiety or an association that does not fit the present situation.
A leader can take the feeling seriously without treating it as a verdict.
Put the cue into words
Ask what seems wrong: the counterpart's account, an assumption in the proposal, the pace of the process or your own unfamiliarity with the situation. Several explanations may remain possible.
Look for evidence that distinguishes them. Ask a follow-up question, request a reference or have someone examine the case independently.
Research on interoception concerns sensing internal bodily changes. In Dunn and colleagues' study, stronger interoceptive ability could help or hinder decisions depending on the signals involved. Greater awareness was not an unconditional advantage.
Keep a calibration record
Write down the original concern and what the investigation revealed. Return to the record after the outcome becomes clearer.
Over several decisions, this can show where an instinct is useful and where it creates false alarms. Avoid remembering only the occasions when the feeling proved correct.
The value of a bodily cue lies partly in the inquiry it prompts. The final choice still needs an account of evidence, uncertainty and the consequences of being wrong.
