Leadership Motives

• Effective leaders have frequently been

distinguished by their motives and needs.
• Figure 2-3 outlines four specific leadership
motives or needs. All four motives can be
considered task related.
 Power Motive
• Effective leaders have a strong need to control resources. Leaders with
high power motives have three dominant characteristics:
1. they act with high stamina and determination to exert their power
2. they invest much time in thinking about ways to alter the behavior and
thinking of others, and
3. they care about their personal standing (belonging, reputation, errors,
status) with those around them.
• The power motive is important because it means that the leader is
interested in influencing others. Without power, it is much more difficult
to influence others.
• Power is not necessarily good or evil; it can be used for the sake of the
power holder (personalized power motive) or for helping others
(socialized power motive
 Personalized Power Motive
• Leaders with a personalized power motive
seek power mostly to further their own
interests
 Socialized Power Motive
• Leaders with a socialized power motive use
power primarily to achieve organizational
goals or a vision.
The Drive and Achievement Motive
Drive includes achievement motivation—finding joy in
accomplishment for its own sake. Entrepreneurs and high-level
corporate managers usually have strong achievement
motivation. Such people have a consistent desire to:
• Achieve through their efforts and take responsibility for
success or failure.
• Take moderate risks that can be handled through their own
efforts.
• Receive feedback on their level of performance
• Introduce novel, innovative, or creative solution.
• Plan and set goals.
 Tenacity and Resilience
• Organizational leaders are tenacious
• grit is passion and sustained persistence applied
toward long-term achievement, with no
particular concern for rewards or recognition
along the way.
• Grit is synonym of tenacity.
• Resilience is part of tenacity because the
tenacious person will bounce back from a
setback through continuous effort.