Motivation to lead, motivation to follow: The role of self-regulatory focus in leadership process.

This article studies the role of the self regulatory theory in motivation. According to regulatory focus theory, peoples approach to achieve goals fall in two systems: achievement of rewards (promotion goals), and avoidance of punishments (prevention goals). Individuals who are characterized to be promotion focused are interested in achievements, creative in problem solving, sensitive to the existence of the rewards, and more willing to take risks. On the other hand, Individuals who are characterized to be prevention focused are concerned with the obligations and duties, and sensitive to the attendance of punishments. Both prevention and promotion are crucial to the continued existence of the organizations since prevention focuses on guaranteeing the safety and security, and to maintain status quo; while promotion focuses on seeking for change, improvement, and creativity. In general, it could be said that promotion focus individuals are inspired with change whereas preventing focus individuals are inspired with stability. Promotion focus individuals are known to be looking for what they want to not what they have to and they are motivated with intrinsic motives such as growth, development, and self-actualization. While extrinsic motives such as social assurance, obligation, and social responsibility are the motives for the prevention focused individuals. Furthermore, unlike promotion focus, negative feedback such as failure to meet obligation is considered a boosted motivation factor for prevent focus individuals. It is suggested that transformational or charismatic leaders will work in harmony with promotion focused followers. Such leaders hold values like openness to change are most likely to have an affective motive to lead, i.e., leading out of enjoyment. In contrast, transactional and monitoring leaders who are conservative are likely to have a social normative as a motive to lead, i.e., to subordinate their objectives to the majorities or to authorities. Individuals are motivated by the role models who fit their regulatory focus so promotion focused individuals are inspired by positive and successful role models. Prevention focused individuals, however, are motivated by negative role models who failed to represent to them their risk of failure. Reference: Kark, R. and Van-Dijk, D. (2007). Motivation to Lead, Motivation to Follow: The Role of the Self-Regulatory Focus in Leadership Processes. Academy of Management Review, 32(2), 500--528.

http://filer.case.edu/users/sxh141/MGMT/Already%20Emailed/Motivation%20to%20Lead%20Motivation%20to%20Follo .pdf