Intuition, famously, is what tells a wife that her husband has done something wrong before he thinks of doing it. But how powerful a tool is it?

Eugene Sadler-Smith, Professor of Organisational Behaviour at the University of Surrey, writes in times2 today that intuition can be a potent, life-saving force – an unbidden spark of creativity, nourished by learning and experience, which often serves as a neurological alarm bell.

Einstein agreed, remarking: “The only really valuable thing is intuition.” Jonas Salk said that it helped him to discover the polio vaccine, explaining: “Intuition tells the thinking mind where to look next.” Intuition also clearly plays a big part in choosing a partner: Johnny Depp says that he knew the minute he laid eyes on Vanessa Paradis across a room that he had found his soul-mate (Britney Spears experiences something similar, often knowing instinctively to whom she wants to be married for the rest of the weekend).

Sir Richard Branson takes just 30 seconds to decide if a person, or business pitch, excites him. Ray Croc followed a hunch that led him to build McDonald’s into hamburger-server to the world.

But intuition is different to knee-jerk instincts. An instinct tells you that Sylvester Stallone is an awful actor; intuition tells you this will not necessarily prevent him enjoying Hollywood success. Instinct says David Gest has had cosmetic surgery; intuition tells you that he evidently didn’t pay nearly enough to secure the right surgeon.

Do you have it? A test: when you began reading this leading article, did you have an intuitive sense that you would read it all the way through to its end? OK, not as exciting as spotting La Paradis across a room. But it’s a start, isn’t it?