Motivation and emotion/Book/2024/Power motivation and leadership
How does power motivation influence leadership styles and effectiveness?
Overview
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Let us imagine that Ahmed, the newly appointed CEO, has always been driven by a strong desire to succeed and exert influence. Ahmed is an authoritative leader, making decisions unilaterally while disregarding team input. The company grows rapidly initially, but over time cracks begin to appear. There is a decline in employee morale, a slowdown in innovation, and an increase in turnover rates. Although Ahmed's power motivation has led to some success, it has also created a toxic environment at work. In what ways does this drive for power affect Ahmed's long-term effectiveness as a leader? |
Key Concepts and Importance:
- Power Motivation: The desire to control or influence others is a fundamental aspect of leadership. It can drive leaders to achieve great success, but if unchecked, it can also lead to negative outcomes.
- Leadership Styles: The way a leader's power motivation manifests can determine their leadership style, from authoritarian to transformational, each having distinct impacts on team dynamics and organisational effectiveness.
- Impact on Effectiveness: Understanding the role of power motivation is crucial in predicting and improving leadership effectiveness. Leaders who can balance their desire for power with empathy and inclusiveness tend to foster healthier, more productive work environments.
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Focus questions
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Power motivation: definition and theories
[edit | edit source]Understanding power motivation
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- Power motivation is defined as the drive to control or influence others, often stemming from an individual’s need to assert dominance or achieve high status within a group (McClelland, 1975).
- Significance: Why power motivation is a critical aspect of leadership psychology.
McClelland's theory of needs
[edit | edit source]- The Three Needs: Achievement, Affiliation, and Power.
- Power Motivation: Differentiating between personalised power and socialised power.
- Application in Leadership: How McClelland’s theory applies to leadership roles.
Power motivation in organisational leadership
[edit | edit source]- High Power Motivation: Characteristics of leaders with strong power motivation.
- Balancing Act: The importance of balancing power with other leadership qualities.
- Case Examples: Real-world examples of power-motivated leaders.
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Case Study: Donald Trump
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Leadership styles influenced by power motivation
[edit | edit source]A model shows the effort and enagement a leader may go through depending on their leadrship style, see Figure 1
Autocratic
[edit | edit source]- High control, low team input.
- How a strong desire for power shapes autocratic leadership.
Democratic
[edit | edit source]- Shared decision-making, team collaboration.
- The influence of socialised power motivation in democratic leadership.
Paternalistic
[edit | edit source]- Leadership with a guiding, parental approach.
- How power is exercised with a protective stance.
Laissez-faire
[edit | edit source]- Minimal intervention, high autonomy for team members.
- The potential lack of power motivation in laissez-faire leaders.
Transformational
[edit | edit source]- Inspiring change, motivating through vision.
- The positive use of power motivation to drive transformation.
Transactional
[edit | edit source]- Focus on routine, rewards, and punishments.
- How power motivation drives transactional interactions.
The role of power motivation in leadership dynamics
[edit | edit source]- Influence on Team Dynamics: How different power motivations impact team cohesion and performance.
- Power Struggles: The potential for conflict when power motivations clash within leadership teams.
- Long-term Leadership Sustainability: The impact of power motivation on the sustainability of leadership effectiveness.
The effectiveness of power-motivated leadership
[edit | edit source]Positive impacts
[edit | edit source]Driving Organisational Success
Empowering Teams
Promoting Innovation and Growth
Negative impacts
[edit | edit source]Risks of Toxic Leadership
High Turnover Rates
Balancing power motivation for leadership success
[edit | edit source]Strategies for Balance
Leadership Development Programmes
Conclusion
[edit | edit source]- The theory and research of psychology explore how power motivation shapes leadership styles and their effectiveness. When a leader is motivated by power, he or she looks for ways to influence others. However, how this motivation manifests itself-through personal or group power-significantly impacts the results they get.
See also
[edit | edit source]References
[edit | edit source]Friederichs, K. M., Waldenmeier, K., & Baumann, N. (2023). The benefits of prosocial power motivation in leadership: Action orientation fosters a win-win. Plos One, 18(7), e0287394–e0287394. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0287394
Hasan, E., Khajeh, A., Abu, M., & Asaari, H. (2018). Impact of Leadership Styles on Organizational Performance. Journal of Human Resources Management Research, 2018(2166-0018), 2166–2184. https://ibimapublishing.com/uploads/articles/JHRMR/2018/687849/687849-1.pdf
McClelland, D. C., & Watson Jr, R. I. (1973). Power motivation and risk-taking behavior. Journal of Personality, 41(1), 121–139. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6494.1973.tb00664.x
Schattke, K., & Marion-Jetten, A. S. (2022). Distinguishing the explicit power motives: Relations with dark personality traits, work behavior, and leadership styles.Zeitschrift für Psychologie, 230(4), 290–299. https://doi.org/10.1027/2151-2604/a000481
Wang, J., Qu, S., Li, R., & Fu, Y. (2022). Power motivation arousal promotes prosocial behavior in the dictator game depending on social presence. PLOS ONE, 17(11), e0277294. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0277294
External links
[edit | edit source]- Power Is the Great Motivator (Harvard Business Review)
- The Leadership Style of U.S. President Donald J. Trump (ResearchGate)