Intuitive and analytical decision-making skills analysed through a flow developing serious game

ABSTRACT Serious games are tools for measuring, evaluating, and developing leadership skills through the decisions taken by participants on leadership training. We analyse decision-making skills in relation to 29 leadership skills measured through FLIGBY, a Flow-developing serious game. Our empirical research explores the intuitive versus the analytical decision-making approaches’ connections to other leadership skills demonstrated by 734 leaders and managers: through a series of complex management decisions made in the game. Participants gain deeper insights into their skill sets, experience the immediate consequences of their decisions, and enhance their personal competitiveness by developing their leadership skills. The novelty of our research lies in analysing the relationship between Flow theory, leadership skills, and particularly decision-making skills. We highlight which leadership skills are most relevant to analytical and intuitive thinking skills. Our results show that both decision-making approaches could support the Flow-promoting leadership style, however intuitive thinking has a stronger relationship with it.