Drivers
What is it?
Leadership drivers are the fundamental internal and external forces that motivate leaders' behaviors, decisions, and career choices. Understanding these drivers is crucial for self-awareness, development, and authentic leadership. Research shows that leaders who understand their core motivations make more intentional choices and demonstrate greater resilience.
How might you develop it?
Primary Driver Categories: Leadership motivations typically fall into several key dimensions: achievement (drive for excellence), power (desire for influence), affiliation (need for connection), purpose (search for meaning), security (desire for stability), and growth (quest for development). Individual leaders usually have a distinctive pattern of two or three dominant drivers that shape their leadership style.
Impact on Leadership Style: Different driver combinations create distinct leadership approaches. Achievement-driven leaders often focus on excellence and results, while purpose-driven leaders emphasize mission and values. Understanding these patterns helps leaders leverage their natural motivations while managing potential blind spots.
Environmental Influences: Organizational culture and context interact significantly with individual drivers. Leaders must understand how their motivations align with or conflict with organizational needs. This awareness helps navigate tensions between personal drivers and institutional requirements.
Development and Evolution: Drivers typically evolve throughout a leader's career as they gain experience and face new challenges. Major life events, career transitions, and organizational changes can shift the relative strength of different motivations. Self-aware leaders regularly reassess their drivers to ensure alignment with current roles and aspirations.
Application in Practice: Understanding drivers enables better career choices, more effective team leadership, and improved stress management. Leaders can use this knowledge to create environments that energize themselves and their teams, while proactively managing situations that might drain motivation.
Common Challenges: Leaders often struggle when their core drivers conflict with role requirements or organizational culture. Another challenge is balancing multiple drivers that may pull in different directions. Understanding these tensions helps leaders make conscious choices rather than reactive decisions.
Future Considerations: As work environments become more complex and fluid, understanding and adapting to changing motivational patterns becomes increasingly important. Leaders must develop greater flexibility in how they express and satisfy their core drivers.
Comprehensive Reference List:
Essential Books:
"Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us" by Daniel Pink
"Why Motivating People Doesn't Work...and What Does" by Susan Fowler
"The Why of Work" by Dave and Wendy Ulrich
"Triggers: Creating Behavior That Lasts" by Marshall Goldsmith
"Primal Leadership" by Daniel Goleman
Notable Podcasts:
"The Psychology of Leadership" with Daniel Goleman
"Finding Your Leadership Why" with Simon Sinek
"The Energy Project" with Tony Schwartz
"Motivation and Mindset" with Carol Dweck