Journaling for Leaders: How Writing Shapes Better Decisions
· by Navin Kumar, MBA, MIEAustLeaders make countless decisions every day. Some carry a lasting impact, others shape only the smallest of moments. In high-pressure environments, the speed and volume of these choices can overwhelm clarity. Yet one of the simplest, most overlooked tools for sharpening judgment is journaling.
Why Leaders Struggle With Decision-Making
Psychologists Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky (1979) showed how human choices are shaped by cognitive biases. We lean on shortcuts, or heuristics, that sometimes serve us well but often distort judgment. Overconfidence, anchoring, and loss aversion can cloud even the most seasoned leader’s decisions. In fast-moving workplaces, these biases multiply and lead to reactive rather than reflective choices.
The Power of Writing to Slow the Mind
Journaling interrupts this cycle. Writing slows thought, giving the brain time to process emotions, assumptions, and hidden biases. By capturing thoughts on paper, leaders externalise their decision-making process and can examine it with distance. This act transforms instinctive reaction into deliberate reflection.
A simple question like “What assumptions am I making right now?” can reveal blind spots that otherwise drive choices unseen. Over time, this practice trains leaders to anticipate bias and widen their perspective before committing to action.
From Reflection to Better Outcomes
Research on decision-making under uncertainty highlights the importance of testing assumptions and considering multiple scenarios. Journaling provides a personal laboratory for this. Leaders can record potential outcomes, revisit past decisions, and notice patterns in their thinking. This creates a feedback loop that strengthens judgment, resilience, and adaptability.
A Practice That Scales With You
The beauty of journaling is its scalability. For emerging leaders, it provides structure at the self-awareness stage. For experienced executives, it becomes a discipline for refining complex decisions with clarity. In every case, it serves as a quiet anchor in the noise of leadership.
Closing Thought
Decision-making will always carry risk. Reflection reduces unnecessary blind spots. By making journaling a daily discipline, leaders do not just record their thoughts. They shape their future choices with greater clarity and purpose.
Follow Within Pages™ for more reflections on building resilient teams, or visit www.withinpagesjournal.com to explore how structured reflection can strengthen both leaders and teams.
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About the Author
Navin Kumar holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Strathclyde and is a Member of Engineers Australia (MIEAust). With over 18 years of leadership experience across the global automotive and technology industries, he currently serves as Global Head of Quality Assurance at a leading technology firm in Australia. As co-founder of Within Pages™, Navin combines technical precision and operational efficiency with a passion for shaping leadership practices that create lasting impact.
