Here at Bluewolf, we consider ourselves Salesforce experts. Through certifications, experience, and knowledge sharing we learn as much as we can about the Salesforce platform. This sometimes begs the question, “how much can one really know about this constantly evolving ecosystem?” Or another common topic, “how many decisions can be made based on fact vs. intuition?” The truth is...we can’t know everything about Salesforce. In fact, no one can know everything about Salesforce. Although a business analyst (BA) would never advertise this, they could be staffed on their very first Salesforce data migration project. Yet, when the BA is expected to give expert advice without the experiential knowledge to back them, they can only rely on extensive research, internal resources (veterans on their team), and their gut, to help guide them. What I’ve found—sometimes it pays to follow your instincts.  

 

A good example of following your instincts can be found in the improv game “freeze tag.” In this exercise, two people start a scene using physical gestures, and at a point someone yells, “freeze!” The actors must then stop moving and the person who called “freeze” must replace one of the actors, take their pose, and begin a brand new scene. The cycle continues until each person has a chance to jump in and start a scene themselves. Now this game only really works if the person who launches the scene goes with the first thought that pops into their head. For example, the previous scene could be about a wedding, and if the bride raises her arms, and you think of a Jehovah’s Witness, you could yell, “freeze,” replace the bride, and without second-guessing, paint your religious evangelist picture. This game sounds quite simple, but trusting your instincts is often easier said than done. 

 

So in a Salesforce context, let’s say this is your first data migration project. You talk to some colleagues, you do some online research, and you decide you must conduct a gap analysis between the two organizations. You are not sure what you will discover there. You are not sure if you will use the Data Loader or Salesforce Workbench as a tool. But your gut tells you, this is the place to start. You know you’re going to need to understand these two environments fully before you can proceed any further. So you declare to your client, “a gap analysis is our next step.” They add to your “freeze tag” scene, playing the convinced customer—probably because you started so dynamically and precisely. 

 

Very few times in our working life do we go out on a limb with our first thought. We like to sit and think about it, analyze all the reasons not to trust our ideas, and over-intellectualize until they've become totally stale. Now, this can be a dangerous process because the longer we analyze our ideas before employing them, the more the magic in our ideas dies, and with them, our energy, creativity, and commitment. The ironic thing is, our first thoughts are often the best. There is a power to them that sparks our creative brains into action. They are usually quite intuitive and refreshingly organic. 

 

Sometimes no level of preparation or analysis can elevate one option above the rest. You’re often left with just your gut instinct—an intuitive compass based on a hunch. Although it may seem careless to go with this feeling, over-analyzing the issue can place you farther away from the solution. Improv has taught me that your first reaction if often correct, so if your resources and experience fail you, go with your gut. 

 

Read the first installment of the series, Improv in the Office: Listen & Respond.