Effective leadership: Considering the confluence of the leader’s motivations, behaviours and their reflective ability

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose a model of effective managerial leadership that incorporates the motivation of leaders to lead, their leadership behaviours and their reflective and learning ability (integrator). This model seeks to provide a more complete picture on the factors that contribute to effective leadership. Drawing on Quinn’s (1984) competing values framework and Vilkinas and Cartan’s (2001) integrated competing values framework, this study addresses the question of what motivates leaders to engage in effective leadership behaviours.

Design/methodology/approach

The current study examines the effects of motivation to lead (MTL), the integrator and behavioural repertoire on leadership effectiveness of 439 managers. Data were gathered in an online questionnaire using the online survey tool “Survey Monkey”.

Findings

Results show that the integrator (Vilkinas and Cartan, 2001) and the behavioural repertoire (Hooijberg, 1996) are significant predictors of leadership effectiveness. Affective identity and social-normative motivations to lead are strong predictors of leadership effectiveness, while non-calculative is a weaker predictor.

Research limitations/implications

The study is limited by the use of self-perceptions. Future research could broaden the current results by including perceptions of work colleagues.

Practical implications

The results have implications for human resource managers as regards selecting and developing leaders.

Originality/value

This study is the first to examine the ways in which the integrator, behavioural repertoire and MTL predict leadership effectiveness.

Citation

Vilkinas, T., Murray, D.W. and Chua, S.M.Y. (2020), "Effective leadership: Considering the confluence of the leader’s motivations, behaviours and their reflective ability", Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 41 No. 1, pp. 147-163. https://doi.org/10.1108/LODJ-12-2018-0435