They say it takes a village to raise a child. As time passes, we need this community more and more. As a mom of an impressionable 7-year-old, I often find myself wondering: ‘What am I preparing my child for? What kind of a world will he grow up into? What can I teach him today which will enrich the rest of his life?’
While I do miss how easy it once was to have people around you to help raise a child, I realize we have a valuable voice within each of us: intuition.
Slowing Down: Intuition and The Modern World
As we grow into adults, we get lost in the daily bustle of our lives and so most of us have buried our intuitive strengths deep inside. We live on autopilot and teach our kids to become a cog in the wheel of capitalism like us.
The fast-paced, stimulation-driven world we now live in focuses on diverting attention outward. We increasingly rely on scientific evidence, facts, others’ opinions, and other external factors when we make decisions. This is why we need to teach ourselves and our children to embrace the inner voice.
There is a reason why our intuition is called the sixth sense. It tells us something about the world around us, just like the other five senses. In fact, in my opinion, our sixth sense should be called our first sense because we might lose the other five, but never our intuition. We just need to concentrate on ourselves to find it.
Why Is Intuition Important For Good Leadership?
Intuition is fundamental to decision-making, which is a key responsibility for any leader. Up to 85% of CEOs factor in their intuition when making decisions. This is because tapping into intuition means being a more careful observer of your surroundings or situation. It makes you more likely to notice deviations and patterns which can signal danger.
As an example, a sergeant in Iraq saved the lives of 17 patrons in a café by noticing something off about a man who walked in. He was right, as the man would later plant a bomb.
How Do We Teach Our Children to Listen to Their Intuition?
Children are born with a natural intuitive sense of the world. Sadly, our parenting methods play a big role in disconnecting them by prioritizing facts and evidence. Here are ways to help children tap into their intuition:
1. Model intuition
Children learn through observation. When we listen to our intuition, they learn to trust theirs. The next time you make a decision, tell them you’re considering the facts and opinions of others, but you’re going with your gut.
2. Allow them to express their intuitive feelings
Let your children act on their intuition sometimes. Trusting our inner voice takes time and practice, so give them chances. Don’t punish them if their gut feeling leads them to make a wrong decision. With practice, they will learn how to balance their intuition with the facts.
3. Talk about intuition openly
Having a conversation about gut feelings opens it up as something acceptable. Just like we ask our children how their day went and what they think about something, it is important to spend some time talking about how they might have used their intuition.
5. Slow down and breathe
Breath work is key to diverting attention toward the inner voice. Slowing down and taking deep breaths are simple steps we can take to create space for our intuition.
6. Encourage creativity and play
Intuition and creativity are connected because both are unlimited. You can have your children do arts-and-crafts for example.
7. Provide tech-free, unstructured time
While our kids need structure for school, meals, and sleep, giving them unstructured time without electronic devices can do wonders for their intuitive intelligence. Steven Spielberg’s mother gave him a camera to take pictures of things he liked. Even years later, It helped him stay in touch with his inner self. There needs to be greater importance placed on unstructured time where children can explore the great outdoors or their imagination.
Intuitive Leadership & GSGF
Nurturing intuition and validating it as a form of intelligence is key. It is especially important for children to get into the habit of listening to their gut. This way, they can become better decision-makers, observers, and leaders later in life. Teaching children how to work with their intuition is not just about honing a skill; it’s about fostering a mindset that encourages curiosity, empathy, and innovation.
While parents can teach children the art of intuition, schools should as well. Our curriculum at GSGF encourages children to trust their intuition. Through hands-on activities such as growing their own food, they will learn skills, not memorize information. Our vision is to get children ready to navigate the challenges of tomorrow as confident and resilient green leaders.
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Sources:
https://hbr.org/2011/08/decoding-intuition-for-more-ef
https://insights.som.yale.edu/insights/the-best-leaders-use-intuition
