Need for Affiliation as a Motivational Add-On for Leadership Behaviors and Managerial Success

Abstract

In a sample of 70 leader-follower dyads, this study examines the separate and interactive effects of the leaders’ implicit needs for power, achievement, and affiliation on leadership behaviors and outcomes. Results show that whereas the need for achievement was marginally associated with follower-rated passive leadership, the need for affiliation was significantly related to ratings of the leaders’ concern for the needs of their followers. Analyzing motive combinations in terms of interactive effects and accounting for the growing evidence on the value of affiliative concerns in leadership, we assumed the need for affiliation would channel the interplay among the needs for power and achievement in such a way that the leaders would become more effective in leading others. As expected, based on high need for achievement, the followers were more satisfied with their jobs and with their leaders and perceived more transformational leadership behavior if power-motivated leaders equally had a high need for affiliation. Moreover, the leaders indicated higher career success when this was the case. However, in indicators of followers’ performance, the three-way interaction among the needs for power, achievement, and affiliation did not account for additional variance.

Who earns more? Explicit traits, implicit motives and income growth trajectories

“…Because some studies already linked higher scores on implicit achievement to higher salaries (Cummin, 1967;Seibert & Kraimer, 2001), we also expect the implicit achievement motive to be positively related to income. Specifically, people high in the implicit achievement motive prefer work settings in which they can ask for frequent feedback on their performance levels, in order to optimize their performance (Steinmann, Ötting, & Maier, 2016). Finally, a few studies also suggested implicit power to be positively related to objective career success and income levels (Cummin, 1967;Steinmann, Dörr, Schultheiss, & Maier, 2015).…”

“…Highly power-oriented people might be better at negotiating salaries because of a large focus on status, elevated levels of confidence, and higher likelihood of using manipulative behaviors (Trapp & Kehr, 2016). Implicit power motive is also linked to networking behaviors and employees' increased visibility in organizations (Steinmann et al, 2016), which has been related to higher income levels. Based on the above-mentioned literature on implicit motives, we hypothesized:…”

“…Second, research did show, however, a positive relation of the implicit achievement motive with income as measured over a five- (McClelland & Franz, 1992;Orpen, 1983) and six-year period after the achievement motive was measured (Zhang & Arvey, 2009). Behavioral correlates of this motive include development and improvement of skills (Steinmann et al, 2016). Although these effects may take some time to occur, being oriented towards performance standards and development or learning (both aspects of the achievement motive) has been proven to lead to more career success over time (Maurer & Chapman, 2013).…”

“…In general, individuals lower in affiliation motive do not worry about harmonious relationships, interpersonal rejection or hurting one's feelings in conflicts (Weinberger, Cotler, & Fishman, 2010). As a consequence, they might be less loyal to employers, less averse to severing the ties with the organization or less likely to settle in (Steinmann et al, 2016). Previous research indicated that loyalty (Masakure, 2016) and job embeddedness (Stumpf, 2014) had negative influences on career success as well and that voluntary job mobility increased chances of moving up in the wage structure (Perez & Sanz, 2005).…”

Relationships among structural empowerment, innovative behaviour, self‐efficacy, and career success in nursing field in mainland China

“…A study investigated 416 registered nurses in Finland, and results showed that higher perceived structural empowerment by nurses can improve their self-determination (Kuokkanen, Leino-Kilpi, & Katajisto, 2003). Related research showed that empowerment plays an irreplaceable role in the stage of career development (Steinmann, Ötting, & Maier, 2016). Kanter (1982) emphasizes that employees with organizational structures of power and opportunity can achieve career goals as well as improve organizational production.…”