Leadership and Motivation
Leadership studies have evolved over time with several theoretical perspectives being presented on leadership. From various leadership theories, scholars have asserted some common ingredients like honesty, integrity, clear communication of objectives and goals, adapting and facilitating change management and effective two way communication process.
Other than the above mentioned topics there has been a lot of research on the relationship between motivation and leadership. This is mainly because both these concepts are interconnected. Effective leaders are those who have the capacity to influence and motivate followers to engage in excellent performance to attain organizational success and effectiveness.
Analysing transactional, transformational and charismatic leadership behaviours
Eminent scholars have identified a typology of certain behaviours displayed by leaders which fitted into the general categories of transformational and transactional leadership behaviours. Scholars have further recognized that transactional leadership displays certain traits like contingency reward, laissez-faire and management-by-exception. On the other hand transformational leadership behaviours included certain traits like individual stimulation, individualized consideration and charisma. However, later theories also identified inspirational motivation as one of the key behavioural traits displayed by transformational leaders.
Transactional leadership
Scholars have explained the laissez-faire leadership style as a total disregard for the duties of a superior. Such kinds of leaders do not guide their subordinates and hence do not bother about productivity and completing assigned tasks. One of the most ineffective, inactive and frustrating style of leadership is the laissez faire style. Scholarly works on such leadership style has disclosed that such leaders resist change, display low work quality and low performance (Barbuto, 27).
The contingency theories explained the leadership behaviours of management-by-exception. Management-by-exception is the tactics wherein a leader may reward or take coercive action against a subordinate for a particular conduct. According to scholars leaders practising management-by-exception get involved only when there are deviations or failures in the processes of work. Leaders who are passive in nature get involved only when necessary and do not set any particular action plan. On the other hand, leaders who try to be actively involved always tries to search for malfunctions and may warn of any impending hindrances prior to their occurrence. The leaders who practice management-by-exception daily involves in providing a negative report as they only contact their followers when met with a failure in work processes (Chaudhry & Javed, 260).
Both superiors and subordinates practice the contingency rewards theory as it reflects reciprocal behaviour. Both superior and subordinate come to a consensus with respect to certain tasks and rewards in order to match expectations of each other and for attaining certain conducts. From these three constructs, scholars have explained transactional leadership behaviour as a method which creates strong expectations with subordinates and also clearly conveys to them as to what they would get in return if the objective is attained. Scholarly research in this area has associated continent rewards with a favourable organizational result.
Charismatic leadership
One of the basic factors in the process of transformation is charisma and it is explained as the capability of the leader to command symbolic power. The concept of charismatic leadership was initially explained by scholars as a regard of a person as a leader by followers due to exceptional talents and skills. Scholarly studies on charismatic leadership have found that such leaders command commitment, effort and trust of the subordinates. There can be two forms of charismatic leadership – socialized and personalized. The latter has disastrous effects for subordinates in a firm as it is self centred, exploitative and non egalitarian. The former does not believe in exploiting subordinates and instead socialized charismatic leaders think about the well being of the organization and accordingly motivate followers rather than thinking of their own self interests (Choi, 26).
Transformational leadership
The transformational leadership behaviour theory was proposed by Bass. According to this theory, transformational leaders influence followers in a positive manner. Followers admire, trust, respect and are loyal towards their leader and are even motivated to perform excellently and at times are motivated to conduct extra tasks and activities. The transformational leader member association has three significant behavioural traits – inspirational motivation, individualised consideration and intellectual stimulation. By individualized consideration, it means that leaders act as guides and mentors employees to attain and excel in performance. By inspirational motivation, such leaders influence and communication with followers a shared vision and goal for the organization. By intellectual stimulation such leaders encourage subordinates to approach issues in an innovative manner (Polychroniou, 10).
Motivation sources
Scholars have recognized five significant motivation sources – instrumental, intrinsic process, goal internalization, self concept internal and self concept external.
Intrinsic motivation – if employees conduct a particular task because it gives the person enjoyment, then it is intrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation has been explained by developmental theorists as being impulsive, pre-operational to a particular extent and having the quality of heteronymous morality. Other theorists have described intrinsic motivators as physiological needs, intrinsic pleasure necessities and early existence necessities. Early scholars have described intrinsic motivation to explain the satisfaction achieved from attaining tasks and objectives. Scholars have found that leaders who are intrinsically motivated derive pleasure and enjoyment from their task. Such leaders successfully motivate their followers to ape the leader behaviour and mix fun with work (Barbuto, Fritz & Marx, 605).
Instrumental motivation – instrumental rewards are a source of motivator as personnel perceive that they would get certain extrinsic and tangible results such as bonuses, promotion, pay and the like. Several motivational theories support this behaviour like external rewards and legal compliance motivation, exchange theory and calculative and alienative involvement theories. The need theorists like Maslow, McClelland and Alderfer have proposed the needs for safety, power need and existence needs respectively. The leaders who are instrumentally motivated view the importance of employee value in the reward process. Leaders displaying instrumental conduct are likely to display transactional leadership style (Barbuto, Fritz & Marx, 606).
Self concept external motivation – the self concept external motivation is a condition wherein the individual is motivated to conduct certain behaviours which helps to satisfy and then gain acceptance and status from referral group members. This motivational source has been theorized by a lot of scholars by means of social moral involvement proposed by Etzioni, communion, social involvement and group attitude conformity proposed by Barnard and Staw and Deci’s extrinsic interpersonal motivation. The social identity theory is also based on this motivational source as it proposes maintaining and establishing social standing and reference. Need theorists have proposed affiliation needs, the desire for belonging, affection and love and the need for relatedness. This source of motivation can be found in leader behaviours which are charismatic and transactional (Barbuto, 29).
Self concept internal motivation – this type of motivation occurs when individuals set certain standards for values, competencies and traits. Accordingly the person is motivated to conduct in certain manner and accordingly attain high competency standards. McClelland’s achievement need, the ideal of internalized motivation proposed by Kahn and Katz and the theory of internal motivation to prevail over challenges proposed by Deci explains this source of motivation. Need theorists proposed esteem needs, achievement needs and growth needs to explain the self concept internal motivation. This motivation source can be used by a leader for individualised consideration to influence subordinates to view the objectives for personal growth as well as the goals set by the leader. A leader who gets motivated due to self concept internal motivation values the employees for their contribution and the inherent strength present in each employee. The self concept internal motivation is practices mostly by transformational and charismatic leaders (Barbuto, 30).
Objective internalization motivation – the employees who adapt behaviours and attitudes which conform to their own set of values and beliefs are motivated due to goal internalization. The core of this source of motivation initiates from strong values, beliefs and norms. The need for self actualization proposed by Maslow is similar to this motivation source. Developmental theorists also propose this goal as autonomous, inter-individual, principled orientation and post formal operational motivation.
The fifth source of motivation differs from all the other four sources in a way that it is not attained for a person’s own interest. Individuals are motivated to pursue this goal simply because they believe and trust in the root cause. This source of motivation is observed in transformational leaders as they believe and trust in the objectives established by the firm. From the viewpoint of a transactional leader, it is aspired that internalizing objectives will lead to charismatic conduct and inspirational leadership (Barbuto, 31).
Extrinsic and intrinsic motivation
The above mentioned five motivational sources can be further classified as intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivational sources are those which are as a result of internal motivation like internalizing goal and self concept internal whereas extrinsic motivators are those which serve as external motivators like self concept external and instrumental motivators. Intrinsic motivators have a lot to do with a person’s emotions which surrounds trust, enjoyment and self esteem. Scholars have observed that transformational leaders have such qualities which intrinsically motivate them. People who tend to get motivated by receiving status, awards, prestige are those who are influenced as a means of extrinsic motivators and such qualities are resembled in charismatic and transactional leadership (Barbuto, 31).
Leadership and motivation
The above study on the various theories on leadership and motivation seems to establish that various leaders are motivated either intrinsically or extrinsically. The manner in which such leaders are motivated helps them to follow a certain leadership behaviour or leadership style and accordingly have control over their followers.
Scholars have observed that transformational leaders are highly motivated by the five sources of motivation. Transformational leaders are intrinsically motivated and from this it can be inferred that they are motivated as they treat work to be a part of fun and enjoyment. Hence transformational leadership is positively related to subordinate commitment and motivation (Masi & Cooke, 45). The transformational leaders enhance motivation in followers by making a new vision and thereby supporting and encouraging subordinates to work to attain the vision. This is mainly attained by stimulating the needs for achievement, esteem and self actualization. Thus, transformational leaders enhance motivation in followers by appealing to the beliefs and ideals of the subordinate and accordingly stimulate them to think and work in an innovative manner. Such leaders influence followers by carefully playing with words, actions and visions.
Transactional leadership behaviours have been found to be associated with instrumental motivators, management by exception, contingent reinforcement and rewards and laissez faire leadership. However scholars have found that laissez faire leadership negatively motivates employees whereas transactional leadership behaviours in the form of management by exception, contingent rewards and instrumental motivators enhance the motivation of followers (Chaudhry & Javed, 259).
Charismatic leadership encompasses empathy, empowerment and envisioning. These three attributes mainly contribute to motivate the followers by fulfilling their need for power, affiliation and achievement. These motivational constructs help in enhancing task performance, role play, citizenship behaviour, job satisfaction, self leadership, collective identity and group cohesiveness of the followers (Choi, 9).
Leader member exchange and motivation
Scholars have observed that when a leader and a subordinate share similar, beliefs, opinions and attitudes they would eventually develop a more favourable relationship. Early studies on leader member relationships hinted that superiors created low and high quality of associations which was similar to out groups and in groups. Wherein the leader member association was favourable the superiors displayed certain signs like high level of obligation, respect and trust towards subordinates. Contrary to this, in case of a negative association between leader and member superiors displayed low quality of respect, obligation and trust towards subordinates (Barbuto & Gifford, 25). However, effective leaders are those who enhance motivation and thereby boost performance by employing extrinsic and intrinsic sources of motivation. They are the ones who use such motivational mediums to develop favourable and significant relationships between subordinates. Hence, leader member exchange and employee motivation are directly associated with each other.
Conclusion
Leadership is a system which believes in influencing followers to attain the objectives of the firm, create a vision for the employees and having the power to transform the vision by attaining it. Hence, leadership is a means which is used by an individual’s exercise of power and control over other individuals. Superiors view motivation as a significant component to enhance performance at all levels and departments of the organization. Thus motivation is significantly related to leadership and other fields of management academics like managing teams, managerial ethics, performance management, organizational change and decision making processes and systems.
Motivation therefore reveals the inner aspiration of the employees to put in additional energy and time in order to attain certain organizational goals. Scholarly research have found evidences that transformational leadership behaviours highly motivate followers and employees put in extra time to attain goals and objectives set by the transformational leader. Also leadership behaviours focussing on empathy towards employees and intellectual stimulation of employees contribute in further motivating them to attain goals (Webb, 55). Also motivation may be enhanced when leaders make a culture of appreciation, consideration and affirmation of individual efforts and contribution and also give their employees specific plans to follow. Such leadership behaviours are found in transactional, charismatic and transformational styles.
Works Cited:
Barbuto, J.E. & Gifford, G.T. “Motivation and leader-member exchange: evidence counter to similarity attraction theory”. International Journal of Leadership Studies, 7.1(2012): 18 – 28. Print.
Barbuto, J.E. “Motivation and transactional, charismatic, and transformational leadership: a test of antecedents”. Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies, 11.4: (2005): 26 – 40.
Barbuto, J. E., Fritz, S. M., & Marx, D. “A field study examining two measures of work motivation for predicting leaders' influence tactics used”. Journal of Social Psychology, 142.5: (2002): 601-616.
Chaudhry, A.Q. & Javed, H. “Impact of transactional and laissez faire leadership style on motivation”. International Journal of Business and Social Science, 3.7 (2012): 258 – 264.
Choi, J. “A motivational theory of charismatic leadership: envisioning, empathy and empowerment”. Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies, 13.1(2006): 24 – 43.
Masi, R.J. & Cooke, R.A. “Effects of transformational leadership on subordinate motivation, empowering norms, and organizational productivity”. International Journal of Organizational Analysis, 8.1(2000): 16 – 47.
Polychroniou, P.V. “Transformational Leadership and Work Motivation in Modern Organizations”. Advances in Management, 1.3(2008): 9 – 12.
Webb, K. “Motivating peak performance: leadership behaviours that stimulate employee motivation and performance”. Christian Higher Education, 6 (2007): 53 – 71.
