Motivation to Lead: Research on the Motives for Undertaking Leadership Roles in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF)

Psychological research on leadership has dealt mainly with the influence of leadership as an independent variable (Bass, 1990). Only recently has a pioneer attempt been made to develop an empirical model for the examination of motivation to lead (MTL; Chan, 1999). This model incorporates three factors: affective MTL, social-normative MTL, and calculative MTL. The study described here tested and expanded Chan's model with a sample from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF; n = 402). It confirms the existence of the three motivational factors located by Chan. Two additional motivational factors were found: ideological and patriotic. Also, leaders differed from non-leaders in their MTL factors. The theoretical and practical significance of these findings is discussed.

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