Article Analysis: Self-Leadership and Critical Thinking

This report provides a critical analysis of the article "Relations between self-leadership and critical thinking skills." It examines the background, objectives, and core research questions of the study, focusing on the relationship between self-leadership and critical thinking abilities in university students. The report discusses the importance of these skills for future organizational effectiveness, exploring the concepts of self-leadership, behavior-focused strategies, natural reward strategies, and constructive thinking patterns. It evaluates the article's strengths and weaknesses, highlighting the positive correlation found between self-leadership and critical thinking, while also considering the limitations of planning and overemphasis on perfection. The analysis concludes by emphasizing the significance of self-regulation and critical thinking in the modern professional environment.

Running head: ARTICLE ANALYSIS
ARTICLE ANALYSIS
Name of the student
Name of the university
Author Note

1ARTICLE ANALYSIS
The respective paper is a critical introspection and analysis of the article named
“Relations between self-leadership and critical thinking skills”. The paper discusses the
background, objectives and core questions of the research executed in the respective article and
also argues weather the thesis statement in the article has significant grounds or not, discussing
precisely about the strengths and the weaknesses of the article. The overall value and
contributions of the article is further introspected and analyzed in the respective paper.
Critical Analysis
Background
The article “Relations between self-leadership and critical thinking skills” discusses
about self-leadership and critical thinking skills that are important for a student in order to be
effective in the future organizations where they would be placed to provide them with quality
work (Ay, Karakaya & Yilmaz, 2015). The paper tries to find out the relation between the
postgraduate students’ self-leadership and critical thinking skills.
Objectives
The objective of the research is to understand the importance of critical thinking, self-
decision making and self-leadership. The article discusses about the insufficiency of the control
systems of the organizations and enterprises in influencing employee behavior and potential,
thereby, stating the importance of self-sufficiency and individual self control system that might
affect an organization positively. Individual self-control, according to the article, is all about self-
leadership, strategies related to self behavior oriented management and the acceptance of
intrinsic motivational behavior. The article questions positive effect of critical thinking on
behavior focused strategies, natural reward strategies and constructive thinking model strategies.

2ARTICLE ANALYSIS
Individual self-control has not only become a part of professional and personal life, but also a
path of self-realization and self-actualization. With the help of proper self-control techniques, an
individual, in his personal as well as professional space, would be able to exhibit his or her
efficiency and be able to accomplish their work each day, thereby, achieving their personal as
well as professional goals or objectives (Yang & Chang, 2013). Self-control comes with the help
of self-discipline. Self-discipline can be termed as the ability to combat with impulses (positive
or negative), create and maintain focus on the tasks, and see all kinds of projects and challenges
in a more organized way to completion (Batool, 2013). Self discipline in an employee or a
professional is best judged when his or her behavior is observed regarding a particular task that is
allotted to him or her and her perseverance to complete the task satisfactorily (Trappenburg et
al., 2013). The persistence and willpower that is dedicated to a particular task by an employee,
leader, employer or a professional is often viewed in the parameters of self-discipline and self-
control in the contemporary world where everything is fast and every individual is at a rat race.
In the contemporary global world, self-discipline should be taught to the individuals as every
aspect and institution of the world is under fierce competition with each other that has been
observed to be affecting the temperament of the individuals, especially students and
professionals, keeping them in stress, anxiety and a state of tension (Steinbauer et al., 2014). In
order to keep out of tension, an individual is always suggested to utilize mindfulness techniques
of self-discipline and self-control to survive and thrive in the present day. The most important
and intriguing aspect of self control and self discipline is self-leadership. Self leadership,
according to the article, is a process or a method by which an individual regulates himself or
herself based on his or her assumptions and calculations of his or her capabilities. Self leadership
is a cognitive exercise where the person utilizes his or her mental capabilities, assumption and

3ARTICLE ANALYSIS
speculative qualities and makes strategies for management of mental imagery and self talk
(Lasserre, 2017). Throughout the ages, philosophers and sages have upheld the virtues of self-
introspection, self- direction and self- motivation to the general masses. Self introspection has its
advantages. The benefits of self- introspection and awareness includes an enriched emotional
intelligence, greater empathy, a rational mindset, greater listening skills, improved skills of
critical thinking and decision making, strengthened communication and relationships with the
outer environment and lastly, an enhanced leadership capability as well as capacity. A greater
form of self awareness and self leadership might help an individual to become relatively
successful in every aspect where he or she is working with, be it leadership, management or
clerical work (Rothaermel, 2013). The benefits of self-awareness are important to organizational
leaders at all levels who seek to boost and enrich employee communication, engagement, trust
and productivity, and organizational culture.
Core research questions
The most exceptional and authentic factor of the article is that it has discussed about the
thin line between self-leadership and self- management. The article has clearly exhibited the
intrinsic and instrumental difference between self- leadership and self- management. I agree to
the point that self- leadership has been viewed as an aspect which is beyond self- management in
the respective article. The basic difference between self-leadership and self- management is that
the former is the summation of total strategies that focuses on the behavioral aspects and thought
processes that individuals can utilize in order to manipulate and influence themselves by
controlling their behaviors and the latter is related to the managerial capabilities and abilities to
organize themselves to bring out their maximum productivity (Frost, 2014). Nevertheless, it is
observed theoretically and pragmatically that both the aspects (self management and self

4ARTICLE ANALYSIS
leadership) are interrelated and interdependent on each other. It is a universal truth that for every
managers, team leads and leaders in any organization or enterprise, the ability to lead the
subordinates and manage the workplace comes out of their dexterity to manage and lead
themselves first (Dwyer, Hogan & Stewart, 2014). The article has correctly judged that a leader
or a manager who has poor skills and abilities to lead him/ her or manage themselves is a poor
leader or manager and is deemed to be inefficient in their designation (Godwin, Neck &
D’Intino, 2016).
The article has outstandingly described the behavior focused strategies with the help of
pictorial descriptions. The article has stated the different dimensions of self- leadership that are:
Behavior focused strategies, natural reward strategies and development of constructive thinking
pattern. The observations and enumerations of self- leadership and critical thinking written in the
article is to be agreed as it brings out the intrinsic cognitive functions of individuals (Godwin,
Neck & D’Intino, 2016). Under behavior focused strategies, it is said that self- appraisal, self-
reward and self- discipline is an integral part of an individual. Things such as remainder notes,
the to-do lists and task recording journals often act as catalysts to accelerate performance,
however, in certain cases, such activities might lead to procrastination which steals a lot of time
and delays the activities. The article has not written about the disadvantages of excessive
planning. Excessive planning might lead to loss of time and resources by not involving the right
people, spending too much time on non-essential issues, and poor accountability and
implementation.
Under natural reward theory, the article has talked about the intrinsic pleasure an individual
derives when he or she is working in an organization. Such intrinsic pleasure happens when the
person’s capability is estimated properly and the tasks or jobs provided to them are challenging

5ARTICLE ANALYSIS
that provides a plethora of scope for his or her talent to be exhibited and enhanced. Awards, in
case of natural strategies, fall within the satisfactory behavior that arises from executing the
activity successfully. Therefore, it can be understood and agreed from the readings of the article
that job redesigning is a matter of concern where the tasks and activities need to be evolved and
updated so that monotony or boredom does not enter in the employee and the productivity
increases with increase in self satisfaction.
In case of development of constructive thinking patterns, the article discusses about
changing the thought patterns according to the immediate or long term needs of the respective
individual. The article talks about dysfunctional thoughts of individuals that affect their
performances obnoxiously, which is indeed agreed upon (Cottrell, 2017). Often, the
dysfunctional thoughts give rise to negative beliefs and prejudices, leading to an
underperformance of the employee or the individual. With mental imagery individuals are more
likely to deliver better and successful performance compared to possible results, according to
the article. It is indeed a commendable observation as it has been a proven fact that a less
organized mind gives rise to less organized thoughts, making room to mistakes and negativities
(Hill, Jones & Schilling, 2014). So, self- management and cognitive management is essential for
an individual to perform well.
The article emphasizes on critical thinking by saying that critical thinking provides an
individual a multi-dimensional thought process, enhancing the cognitive capabilities which gives
rise to an improved problem solving and decision making. The article is well apt in disclosing
the core of critical thinking, which lies on interpretation, inferences, explanation, evaluation and
verification as well as monitoring one’s self that completes the art of critical thinking.

6ARTICLE ANALYSIS
Methodology
The paper has clearly stated the importance of critical thinking to achieve success in life
for individuals from every dimension, from students, employees to professionals and employers.
The background of the research is based on the sample and findings of Cumhuriyet University
faculty of literature and faculty of science senior evening education students. With the help of
regression and correlation, the data obtained were analyzed. The data were taken as samples with
primary data collection method.
Findings
The most accurate result that came out exhibited that students’ self- leadership parameter
tended to be high but their critical thinking parameters were moderate. A positive moderate
correlation was found (r=0,426) between self leadership and critical thinking. The affects of self
leadership dimensions on critical thinking were examined by regression analysis.
Implications
The result out of the sample population that were taken was that most of the students of
the respective university believed in the fact that critical thinking should be an integral part of
every individual, irrespective of his or her background and critical decision making should be a
very important part of not only a student’s professional life but also of an employee, employer or
professional’s life. A positive correlation had been found between disciplines, truth- seeking and
goal setting. According to Cottrell (2017), critical thinking skills have become a significant part
of a student or a professional’s life and its practice has also been carried out throughout the
world, which is implied in the findings of the research.

7ARTICLE ANALYSIS
Critical Evaluation
Strengths and Weaknesses
However, the areas which the article has not gone through are the disadvantages of planning and
over emphasis of perfection in management. The possible disadvantages of planning are that
machinery of planning can never be freed of bias (Batool, 2013). Every planner has his or her
own likes, dislikes, preferences, attitudes and interests which are reflected in planning that might
create problems in the future. Often, with the desire of being perfect in management, the
individuals might lose the greater focus and long run objectives of his or her professional life.
Perfectionist individuals give extra attention to detail and perfection rather than consistency of
the output. Such attitude creates delirium and disillusionment which might as well hamper the
productivity of the person in rather an obnoxious or an undesirable way, as observed (Batool,
2013).
Conclusion
The respective paper concludes to be a critical introspection and analysis of the article
named “Relations between self-leadership and critical thinking skills”. Self regulation, self-
control, self-leadership and critical thinking has become a strategy taken by the organizations
nowadays to lead and manage the workplace in a better way. The article provides a deep insight
of the significance of self-reflection in the contemporary business and professional world. The
article states the fact that in order to survive and thrive in today’s world, one has to show
dexterity in self-regulation, self leadership, self- awareness and critical thinking. The paper
concludes by discussing the background, objectives and core questions of the research executed
in the respective article and also argues weather the thesis statement in the article has significant

8ARTICLE ANALYSIS
grounds or not, discussing precisely about the strengths and the weaknesses of the article. The
overall value and contributions of the article is further introspected and analyzed in the
respective paper.

9ARTICLE ANALYSIS
References:
Ay, F. A., Karakaya, A., & Yilmaz, K. (2015). Relations between self-leadership and critical
thinking skills. Procedia-social and Behavioral sciences, 207, 29-41.
Batool, B. F. (2013). Emotional intelligence and effective leadership. Journal of business studies
quarterly, 4(3), 84.
Cottrell, S. (2017). Critical thinking skills: Effective analysis, argument and reflection.
Macmillan International Higher Education.
Dwyer, C. P., Hogan, M. J., & Stewart, I. (2014). An integrated critical thinking framework for
the 21st century. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 12, 43-52.
Frost, J. (2014). Values based leadership. Industrial and commercial training, 46(3), 124-129.
Godwin, J. L., Neck, C. P., & D’Intino, R. S. (2016). Self-leadership, spirituality, and
entrepreneur performance: A conceptual model. Journal of management, spirituality &
religion, 13(1), 64-78.
Hill, C. W., Jones, G. R., & Schilling, M. A. (2014). Strategic management: theory: an
integrated approach. Cengage Learning.
Lasserre, P. (2017). Global strategic management. Macmillan International Higher Education.
Rothaermel, F. T. (2013). Strategic management: concepts. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Irwin.
Steinbauer, R., Renn, R. W., Taylor, R. R., & Njoroge, P. K. (2014). Ethical leadership and
followers’ moral judgment: The role of followers’ perceived accountability and self-
leadership. Journal of business ethics, 120(3), 381-392.

10ARTICLE ANALYSIS
Trappenburg, J., Jonkman, N., Jaarsma, T., van Os-Medendorp, H., Kort, H., de Wit, N., ... &
Schuurmans, M. (2013). Self-management: one size does not fit all. Patient education
and counseling, 92(1), 134-137.
Yang, Y. T. C., & Chang, C. H. (2013). Empowering students through digital game authorship:
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