Motives to Lead: Power, Personality, and Why People Step Forward
Thu Jan 15 2026
Why do some people step forward into leadership—while others, equally capable, hesitate or opt out?
In this talk, we explore the motives to lead and the deeper psychological forces that shape leadership emergence. The discussion examines why people seek leadership roles, why some are drawn to power and influence, and how personality traits and experience intersect to shape leadership motivation over time.
We break down the core motives to lead, including:
-Affective-identity motivation – enjoying leadership and identifying with the leader role
-Social-normative motivation – seeing leadership as responsibility, duty, or service
-Non-calculative motivation – willingness to lead despite personal cost or sacrifice
A major focus of the discussion is the power motive, one of the most misunderstood drivers of leadership. We explore:
-The difference between personalized power and socialized power
-Why some leaders are motivated by control of resources, decision authority, and influence
-How prestige, legitimacy, and status shape leadership behavior
-Why power itself is not inherently negative—but how it is used matters
The talk also examines the relationship between personality traits and leadership motivation, including:
-How drive, achievement motivation, and vigor increase the likelihood of stepping into leadership
-Why extraversion is often associated with leadership visibility and influence
-Why lower agreeableness (within healthy limits) may make it easier to assert authority, make difficult decisions, and tolerate conflict
-How confidence, resilience, and assertiveness amplify the desire to lead
Importantly, this session moves beyond the simplistic “born vs. made” debate. While some leadership motivation is trait-influenced, much of it is developed over time through:
-Skill acquisition and growing competence
-Career and leadership experiences
-Increased confidence and credibility
-Repeated exposure to responsibility
In many cases, people become more motivated to lead because they are the most capable person in the room—not because they initially sought power.
This conversation is designed to help viewers:
-Conduct a meaningful self-assessment of their own leadership motives
-Better understand why other leaders behave the way they do
-Recognize how leadership motivation evolves across a career
If you’ve ever wondered why certain people step forward—and why others don’t, this talk offers a deeper, evidence-based lens on leadership motivation.
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Why do some people step forward into leadership—while others, equally capable, hesitate or opt out? In this talk, we explore the motives to lead and the deeper psychological forces that shape leadership emergence. The discussion examines why people seek leadership roles, why some are drawn to power and influence, and how personality traits and experience intersect to shape leadership motivation over time. We break down the core motives to lead, including: -Affective-identity motivation – enjoying leadership and identifying with the leader role -Social-normative motivation – seeing leadership as responsibility, duty, or service -Non-calculative motivation – willingness to lead despite personal cost or sacrifice A major focus of the discussion is the power motive, one of the most misunderstood drivers of leadership. We explore: -The difference between personalized power and socialized power -Why some leaders are motivated by control of resources, decision authority, and influence -How prestige, legitimacy, and status shape leadership behavior -Why power itself is not inherently negative—but how it is used matters The talk also examines the relationship between personality traits and leadership motivation, including: -How drive, achievement motivation, and vigor increase the likelihood of stepping into leadership -Why extraversion is often associated with leadership visibility and influence -Why lower agreeableness (within healthy limits) may make it easier to assert authority, make difficult decisions, and tolerate conflict -How confidence, resilience, and assertiveness amplify the desire to lead Importantly, this session moves beyond the simplistic “born vs. made” debate. While some leadership motivation is trait-influenced, much of it is developed over time through: -Skill acquisition and growing competence -Career and leadership experiences -Increased confidence and credibility -Repeated exposure to responsibility In many cases, people become more motivated to lead because they are the most capable person in the room—not because they initially sought power. This conversation is designed to help viewers: -Conduct a meaningful self-assessment of their own leadership motives -Better understand why other leaders behave the way they do -Recognize how leadership motivation evolves across a career If you’ve ever wondered why certain people step forward—and why others don’t, this talk offers a deeper, evidence-based lens on leadership motivation.