Blink - an Analysis of Judgment & Leadership

Blink – An Analysis of Judgment and How it Relates to Leadership

Chris A. Upp

MGMT 5670 - QE

Abstract

This paper explores the analysis of leadership, as described by Dubrin (2010), and the rapid cognition of our unconscious mind as it relates to decision making by leaders. Gladwell (2005) suggests that all people have an immediate reaction to a given situation that directs them on what to do or how to handle that situation. This snap decision making is performed without the need for critical thinking and can provide for better results than reasoned conclusions, according to Gladwell (2005). Specific areas of analysis are the empowerment of employees, the use of insight, situational leadership and transformational leadership. These areas can provide a greater understanding of the relationship between leadership and how leaders make judgments that improve their abilities to make more effective decisions.

Discussion

There are many factors that impact decisions that a person may make in their everyday lives. However, in most instances these decisions are unexplainable because they happen in an instant. Gladwell (2005) wants to understand how decisions are made, both good and bad, and why are some people so much better at it than others. There are moments, particularly in times of stress, when our snap judgments and first impressions offer a better means of making sense of the world.     Our adaptive unconscious can react and adapt quickly to high-stress situations when our conscious mind is much slower to catch up. Snap judgments are useful when decisions of analysis and personal choices become complicated. For example, experts who make decisions under pressure act very quickly, drawing on experience and intuition. Dubrin (2010) is quick to point out that insight is an important cognitive trait of leaders. The larger the decision to be made, the more important it is to have good insight into the situation. Dubrin (2010) contends that...