30 | Sourced | november 2021 — february 2022
WHAT IS YOUR MOTIVE?
by Rick Van Arnam
Vice President of Leadership, Team Development, and Strategy
I
recall a conversation a couple of decades ago that remains stuck with me since, and one that New York Times best-selling author Patrick Lencioni has put in better context in his book, The Motive.
Meeting with a retired Army officer and now software engineer, he asked me, “Why do we think we need to get promoted into a leadership role if all we really enjoy doing is coding software?” He went further saying as much that we have a culture of work in America that rewards being promoted and defines success by climbing the corporate ladder of leadership.
This is truer today than ever before. Today, C-Suite executives are viewed as celebrity-like, followed in the press and on social networks, like media stars or athletes. It is hard to argue that the attention, title, compensation, and perks do not have some impact on how people show up in leadership positions. And it does not have to be in high-profile or publicly traded companies. As human beings, none of us are immune from the trappings that often come with leadership positions, and it often starts earlier, not later.
He was right.
REWARDS-CENTERED LEADERSHIP
1. Being a leader is the reward for hard work. 2. “I’ve made it! I’m being recognized and rewarded. Life is about to get easier and more comfortable.” 3. I’ve achieved my goal! 4. Leadership is a prize. 5. Drawn by its trappings: title, attention, power, status, compensation, perks. 6. May believe the role should be convenient and comfortable.
R E S P O N S I B I L I T Y- B A S E D LEADERSHIP
1. Being a leader is a responsibility. 2. “Wow, I’ve got a lot of responsibility – I better get to work!” 3. What can we achieve now? 4. Leadership is a privilege. 5. Drawn by responsibility: grow my people, make the best decisions, represent the company well. 6. Understands the role will require uncomfortable conversations and prioritizing others over self.
