What Drives Leadership Styles?
What explains different leadership styles of leaders, in the sense of what drives them? Some are ambitious, more risk taking, workaholic, some are closed, protective and controlling, whereas some seem to find the right balance.
I think the answer to this can be found in Daniel Pink’s ‘Drive’, which states that there are 3 factors that intrinsically motivate humans: mastery, autonomy and purpose.
Leaders motivated more by mastery are more like to be ambitious, energetic, wanting more etc. They are likely to see achievements as a step in their career ladder. While mastery is a good motivation for an individual to have, it might not always be the case for a leader — it can lead to stress for those who don’t share their drive. While you can learn a lot from such leaders, you can also get burned out.
Leaders motivated more by autonomy are more likely to be closed, controlling and protective of their teams. They see everything as my territory, my product, my team, my customers, my headcounts etc., all of which needs to be protected at all times from the influence of outsiders by creating silos. While such leaders might be good for local experts, they shield others from visibility and growth.
Leaders motivated by purpose are likely to be multipliers. The focus on contributing and making an impact to the society. They are able to capitalize on the strengths of their employees and get the best out of them directed towards the greater good. They do not mind stepping back, and letting others take the driving seat. These leaders have the highest positive impact on the work culture of an organization, as they produce more leaders!
Most leaders are driven by mastery and autonomy, as societies and companies reward individual competencies and competitiveness. To be motivated by purpose often requires a shift from a focus on the self to a focus on the outside, giving birth to humility. This shift doesn’t come by default — it is often a conscious transcendence from the other two.