Leader awareness has been acknowledged in leadership literature as a predictive factor for effective leader behavior and followers' leadership emergence. A gap in the literature existed regarding the leaders' awareness of self and others in the context of leader-member relations. The problem explored in this study was the lack of knowledge about leaders' and followers' perceptions about leaders' bi-dimensional awareness competencies required to create successful leader-member relations in a south-eastern urban school district. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to examine educational leaders' and members' perceptions of the effects of leaders' bi-dimensional awareness competency on leader-member relations. Objective self-awareness theory and leader-member exchange theory provided a theoretical framework for the study. Three research questions guided the qualitative study investigation into four educational leaders' and 12 followers' perceptions regarding leaders' bi-dimensional awareness competency and leader-member relations selected via purposive sampling. NVivo software facilitated thematic analysis of semistructured interviews gathered using an interview protocol and stem questions. Emergent themes derived from the study comprised establishing a collaborative school culture, fostering dynamic relationships, and promoting empowering leadership. Positive and negative relational experiences were reported based on leaders' bi-dimensional awareness competencies. Participants recognized the need for developing leaders' bi-dimensional awareness competency through leadership programs, warranting further research on the topic. The development of contemplative practices that augment leaders' bi-dimensional awareness competency and effectually transmute leader-member relations as an operative strategy are recommended for leader effectiveness and institutional success. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]