Motivation to Lead
Layla Qaabidh, RN, MSN, (PhD candidate)
Mary Antoine, RN, BSN
Lisa Archer, RN, BSN
Yvonne Wesley, RN, Ph.D., FAAN

Upon completion of this session,
participants will be able to
 Identify components of a framework
highlighting leadership characteristic
differences
 Compare motives to lead with leadership skills
 Discuss individual differences in leader
behaviors
Presentation Objectives
Individuals’
participation
in leadership
roles and
activities
• Non-cognitive abilities such as
personality and values, relate to leader
behaviors through an individual’s
motivation to lead(MTL).
• It is through such activities that the
individual acquires the social skills and
knowledge required for leading and
possibly her his or her leadership style.
• Depending on the situation, social
abilities and the individuals cognitive
ability affect leadership outcome.
Theoretical Framework
Individual
differences in
Leader Behaviors
Social
knowledge and
skills for leading
• Personality
• Values
• Leadership Efficacy
• Interest Domain
• Situational Factors
• Personal Resources
• Outcomes
Performance
Leader Development /Performance
Assumptions:
-individual differences in
Self-efficacy:
MTL can change with
leadership experience &
training
--borrowed from
Bandura’s(1986,
1997)
-differences are an
immediate outcome of
ones leadership selfefficacy and accumulated
leadership experience
--general social
cognitive theory
accounts for individual
differences in MTL
Conceptualizing & Measuring MTL

First step to measuring MTL is to address
the dimensionality of leader motivation
◦ Interpersonal behavior: the affect, the person
beliefs about outcomes associated with success
and social norms related to the act
◦ The less motivated one is about leading others,
the less one would wish to take on leadership
roles
Conceptualizing & Measuring MTL
Understanding the MTL requires understanding the
antecedents that affect it.
Distal Antecedents to MTL
• Personality
• Values
Proximal Antecedents to MTL
• Leadership Self-Efficacy
• Leadership characteristics
Antecedents of MTL

The New York University Leadership Institute for Black
Nurses developed in 2005 by Yvonne Wesley, PhD, RN,
FAAN.

LIBN helps Black nurse managers to both envision and
achieve career goals in administration, education, and
research.

LIBN holds six monthly training sessions, addressing
topics such as individual efficacy, leadership paradigms,
negotiation, and collaboration.

Sample size = 48 Fellows from the NYU LIBN;
completed three Likert-type pen and paper surveys
Method Overview

Measurements Used:
 Motivation to Lead Scale is a 27-item
questionnaire with a 5-point Likert type scale
(1=strongly disagree to 5=strongly agree).
There are 11 reverse items
 Leadership Dimensions Scale is a 15-item
scale designed to measure perceived
leadership skills on a 9-point rating (1=poor
to 9 =superior)
 Leadership Self-Efficacy Scale is a 6-item
measure of leadership self-efficacy with a 7point Likert type scale (1=strongly disagree
to 5=strongly agree)
Method

Examples of an item of each measure:
 MTL == “Most of the time, I prefer being a
leader than a follower when working in a
group”
 LSE == “I am confident that I can lead others
effectively”
 LDS == “Oral communication, written
communication, oral presentation”
Method
The Fellow’s mean MTL score was 101.55 (SD = 8.98)
The possible range of scores on the MTL is 27-135 and a
midpoint of 81
• Fellows scores ranged from 85-125
• 25% of the Fellows scored 95 or less
• 50% of the Fellows scored 100 or less
• 75% of the Fellows scored 109 or less
MTL was related to scores on Leadership Dimensions (r= .55,
p=.000)
Leadership Self-Efficacy was not related to MTL (r=.13,
p=.43)
Results
The MLS revealed that
the following items
receiving the highest
and lowest scores from
the Fellow:
Highest
* item#4; I am the type of person who
is not interested to lead others.
Lowest
item#9; I am seldom reluctant to be the
leader of a group. (M = 2.70, SD = 1.14)
(M = 4.40, SD = .78)
* item#14; I have more of my own
problems to worry about than to be
concerned about the rest of the group.
item#22; It is not right to decline
leadership roles. (M = 2.80, SD = .85)
(M = 4.56, SD = .61)
* item#18; Leading others is a waste of
ones personal time and effort.
* item#23; I would never agree to lead
just because others voted for me.
(M = 4.71, SD = .58)
(M = 3.00, SD = 1.05)
Results
The LIBN provides:
• Increase knowledge of Leadership Frameworks
• Opportunity to discuss different Leadership Styles
• A safe and supportive environment to facilitate and
foster the development of future leaders
The Analysis shows:
• Leadership characteristics of the LIBN Fellows
• Relationship between motivation to lead &
leadership characteristics
• Leadership skills were not related to MTL
Conclusion

Research:
◦ Fellows with increase Motivation to Lead scored
higher on the Leadership Dimensions Scale
◦ Further research is needed to…
 Determine whether Black nurses without prior leadership
experience are motivated to lead
 Determine whether there are differences in leadership
characteristic by race/ethnicity
 Determine whether MTL declines after repeated denial of
career advancement
Implications

Research:
◦ Fellows perceived leadership skills were not related
to MTL
◦ Further research is needed to…
 Determine which leadership skills effect MTL among Black
nurses
 Determine whether there are differences in leadership
skills by race/ethnicity
 Determine whether perceptions of leadership efficacy
vary after repeated denial of career advancement
Implications
 Practice
◦ Leadership Dimensions

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Oral Communication
Problem Analysis
Written Communication
Judgment
Oral Presentation
Decisiveness
Initiative
Physical Stamina
Sensitivity
Technical Competence
Influence
Mission Accomplishment
Planning and Organization
Followership
Delegation

Practice
◦ Leadership Efficacy

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
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Confidence
Optimism
Positive affective disposition
Self efficacy
Stable personality traits
General cognitive ability
Implications
Given the finding that leadership efficacy was not
related to MTL, training that increases perception of
leadership self-efficacy as defined by Chan, may not
increase MTL among Black nurses.
The study
results
suggest
that
training
should be
given in the
areas
mentioned
on the
Leadership
Dimensions
Scale
Theoretical framework suggests a relation between MTL with
leadership characteristics and leadership skills
Data from 48 NYU-LIBN Fellows suggest MTL is related to
their leadership characteristics
Research is needed to understand perceived leadership skills
among Black nurses
Trainings that re-enforces leadership characteristics will
increase MTL among Black nurses.
Summary