Understanding Intuitive and Analytical Thinkers – Why Coaches Should Care

At The Passionate Coach, we are always brainstorming. Sometimes we think so hard our heads hurt. We are sure you’ve been there too. To complicate matters, the two of us are very different thinkers so, our approach to just about everything that requires joint thinking also requires that we understand our thinking processes and accommodate our differences. If we don’t, everything takes twice as long, and the frustration level is off the charts.

The way we think affects our perceptions and the decisions we make. For example, how we perceive an event can be more of a factor than the event itself. When you are a coach, understanding how you think and the implications of that thought process are only half the battle. In order to connect effectively with your clients, you must understand the same about them.

For coaches, understanding the difference in thinking patterns is critical to every phase of the communication process because if you don’t understand your client’s thinking patterns and adjust your approach, clients may not fully participate in the coaching process. Remember, it’s always all about the client.

This article doesn’t cover everything about thinking patterns, but we hope it will help you start paying attention to how you approach a decision or an event and want to know more about how your clients do the same.

When making a decision, do you use your intuition or tend to engage in a deeper thinking process?

No one falls into just one category all the time. We think intuitively or analytically depending on the situation; however, each of us tends to be more intuitive or more analytical most of the time. When you understand which pattern is your default, you can adjust your approach to accommodate those clients who may prefer the opposite approach.

Intuitive vs. Analytical: what’s the difference?

Intuitive thinkers rely on their feelings, deal with situations based on their own experiences, and quickly decide based on what feels right to them at the moment. When making decisions, they may consider different possible outcomes, but they rely mostly on their gut feelings.

One advantage of being intuitive is that they make decisions quickly which is an efficient use of time and resources and allows them to tackle complex matters easily, albeit sometimes superficially.

Analytical thinkers are more critical and evaluative. They have a kind-of mental formula that they use when approaching a problem. They tend to think and analyze things thoroughly, weighing the pros and cons, looking at different angles, and digging into details before coming to a logical decision. Though analytical thinkers tend to be objective, the structured approach they use can be counterintuitive and resource intensive. They may procrastinate often and be slow to make decisions.

How do you know if you or someone else tends to be an intuitive thinker rather than analytical and vice versa? Let’s get into specific characteristics.

Signs of an Intuitive Thinker

They are sensitive to other people’s feelings. Intuitive thinkers consider the emotions of those around them and process everything deeply, which makes them more considerate and empathic. However, it can also make them feel withdrawn, especially when they become overwhelmed by other people’s feelings or observe that others are not being considerate and empathetic.

They are good at discerning people and situations and are able to size up people based on nonverbal cues and body language. They’re observant and can see through people easily. People resonate with them, but they also recognize the red flags. Intuitive thinkers generally have a high EQ.

They feel a special connection with nature and feel as though they get messages from the universe. They closely observe their surroundings and recognize patterns others don’t see. Intuitive thinkers also believe in coincidences and fateful encounters.

They have a higher level of self-awareness and are in tune with their feelings. Though they may recognize that their intuition may not always be right, they try to think about what their feelings are trying to tell them.

They always think ahead and are optimistic by nature. They can foresee potential problems but are able to process the negative and rise above it. They trust that a good outcome can happen even when things look bad at the moment.

Signs of an Analytical Thinker

They have lots of questions. Analytical thinkers are plagued by questions, they interrogate a problem and break it down into details before coming up with an answer. They are skeptical and curious, intellectually sharp, and a bit of a perfectionist.

They value evidence. Analytical thinkers love to gather data and use it to make informed decisions. They focus on the facts and are open to the perspectives of others if they can be substantiated with evidence.

They evaluate their own and other people’s hypotheses. They have a healthy dose of skepticism, so they actively and relentlessly test their theories as well as the viewpoints of others.

They find challenges thrilling. These thinkers enjoy being challenged and welcome constructive debate. They understand that getting out of their comfort zone and considering other people’s points of view can lead to innovation.

They are methodical. Beingquite logical and methodical they follow a step-by-step and linear path to arrive at a logical conclusion. This approach makes it easier for them to dig into details and break down complex problems into manageable bits.

Now that we have defined both thinking preferences, you may be tempted to consider an intuitive thinker and an analytical thinker as two different people. They are not. Everyone needs and uses both types of thinking to make decisions but may default to one over the other. Understanding your default mode as well as that which your clients will go a long way to making communication more effective.

If you are an intuitive thinker and your client is analytical, you may find yourself getting impatient with the client’s methodical thinking process and try to rush them along. It’s also possible that you may think this client is sensing or intuiting a point you are trying to make and as a result, they miss the point altogether.

Be prepared to explain the reasoning behind your coaching processes or assignments to help analytical clients accept them more easily. And when offering feedback, be sure to include information and data to back it up. Your praise and constructive criticism will both carry more weight with an analytical client if you link it to real performance data.

If you tend to be more of an analytical thinker and find yourself coaching an intuitive client, ask the intuitive client to walk you through a recent decision. Their description will not be precise or linear but doing this occasionally will help give you a sense of their informal process and enable you to give specific feedback. Don’t be afraid to point out times when it’s necessary to slow down and double-check information before proceeding. Coach the intuitive to recognize times when waiting on more information would help, even if it’s not their first instinct.

Intuitive clients will especially need your help when it comes to crafting goals. They easily sense what they want to achieve but may have difficulty describing the end result, and they will be very vague about the action steps and how they plan to achieve the goal.

And finally, if you find that you and your client are both intuitive thinkers or both analytical thinkers you shouldn’t have any trouble understanding where the other is coming from. However, as the aware coach you are, don’t miss the opportunity to help your client develop a more holistic approach to decision making.

Understanding different thinking patterns and being able to spot each client’s preference, will result in better communication and understanding, and It will make you a more accommodating coach, ready and willing to adapt to each client.

Thanks for reading, see you next week.