How Self-Awareness Shapes Decision-Making in Leadership

Self-awareness may influence how leaders interpret information, evaluate alternatives, and approach decisions under uncertainty. This study explored the association between reflective practice, used as an indicator of self-awareness, and rational and intuitive decision-making styles among managers and senior-level leaders. A quantitative, cross-sectional exploratory design was used with questionnaire responses from 73 respondents. Reflective practice was assessed with a 10-item Reflective Practice Questionnaire, and decision-making styles were assessed with a 10-item Rational and Intuitive Decision Styles Questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and exploratory Pearson correlations were examined. The mean reflective practice score was 3.96 (SD = 0.30) on a six-point scale. The mean rational decision-making score was 4.49 (SD = 0.41), and the mean intuitive decision-making score was 3.65 (SD = 0.18), both on five-point scales. The preliminary analysis indicated a positive association between reflective practice and rational decision-making (r = 0.885) and a negative association between reflective practice and intuitive decision-making (r = -0.359). These estimates are provisional: data-related anomalies were identified, and the reliability estimate for the intuitive items was unsatisfactory. The cross-sectional, self-report design does not establish causation, and the results should not be generalised beyond the sample. The study offers an initial basis for further investigation, but the records, scoring procedures, and measurement properties should be verified before the correlations are treated as stable findings. Future research should use validated instruments, larger and more diverse samples, and complementary qualitative or longitudinal methods.