A qualitative inquiry into the influences that evoke leaders' use of self -knowledge in relation to leadership performance

This qualitative study identified the influences that evoked leader's use of self-knowledge as it pertains to effective leadership performance. The concept of self-awareness and self-knowledge were differentiated in the study. Self-awareness is a more general term encompassing a variety of metacognitive activities that provide access to self-knowledge. Self-knowledge, however, is specific to intrapersonal content.;The overarching theoretical framework for the study was Bandura's (1986) social cognitive learning theory, which described the triadic interaction between the individual's internal factors, human behavior, and the environment. The sample included 4 experienced business leaders, 2 men and 2 women, selected from organizations in the metropolitan Milwaukee area, representing different business sectors: insurance, higher education, manufacturing, and health care. All possessed at least 20 years' work experience, and occupied middle to upper-level management positions in organizations employing at least 100 employees.;The study followed a qualitative phenomenological research design. Data were collected using in-depth interviewing methods and analyzed deductively and inductively using both traditional and computer software methods.;Data analyses revealed 3 major theme categories that answer the study's research question: (a) influences that informed the contents of the leader's self-knowledge, (b) influences that facilitated the leader's use of self-awareness, and (c) influences that reinforced the leader's continued application of self-knowledge to leadership performance. The use of self-knowledge then became a routine integrated metacognitive activity and provided the leader with a means of modifying the contents of self-knowledge, gaining new information to use in his or her leadership practice.;The study reinforced the research that connects self-awareness and effective leadership performance. A unique facet of the study was that it identified specific content areas within self-knowledge that leaders can use to enhance leadership performance, the differentiation as well as the interaction between self-knowledge and self-awareness, and elucidation of the role self-awareness plays in accessing and applying self-knowledge to leadership performance. Finally, the study substantiated the value of providing leaders with formal instruction to learn, and opportunities to practice, metacognitive thinking strategies in order to access and apply self-knowledge to leadership performance.