My Mind, My Heart, My File

Because the term motivation is so essential to the understanding and definition of leadership, it needs to be carefully defined and explained. But in order to understand what motivation is, we first must understand what it is not. The reason for this is easily under- stood when we make an analogy to the smoker, alcoholic or drug addict, who says, ‘‘I don’t need this stuff. I can quit any time I want to.’’ But the real test comes when the substance is taken away.

We’re not talking about the kind of motivator who comes to town and stirs everyone up and then leaves. Most of those who attend this type of ‘‘motivator’s’’ lectures are back in the doldrums again before the ‘‘motivator’’ even leaves town. That is not motivation. Real motivation lasts longer than twenty-four hours. Real motivation fol- lows the guidelines set by nature, not the ones set by men. Real motivation is the key to effective leadership, and leadership is the key to effective motivation.

WHEN LEADERSHIP IS SEEN AS MOTIVATION
Defining leadership, in whole or in part, as motivation is not an attempt to oversimplify. It is instead an attempt to make our descriptions consistent with what we see in front of us. It is common sense. But there are also some secondary benefits. The reason that people have been running around in circles, asking questions like ‘‘Are leaders born?’’ ‘‘Are leaders made?’’ and ‘‘What is leadership?’’ is because so much of the leadership field has been tied to motivation, and motivation has not been defined. But as seen in this book, when it is defined, leadership will no longer be a circular, neverending debate or a can of worms. It will be operationally defined. Other benefits of being able to clearly define leadership include being able to train, select and identify leaders in organizations and to do the same with potential leaders. Programs that define leaders can be replicated, which is the goal of any scientific pursuit. Fewer flawed leaders will be chosen because our definition of leadership considers the nonconscious as well as the conscious components.
These are the characteristics that people often try to hide when applying for a job or looking for a leadership position. This is often referred to as the dark side. We call it the Silent Side.
Finally, the tendency to avoid emotions, dark-side characteristics, affect and passion have resulted in theories of leadership and motivation that are basically bankrupt and insolvent. They describe, but they don’t explain. They give a lot of details, but they don’t give implications. In many ways, they itemize but they don’t clarify.
Motivation is the Silent Side of leadership. It is wholistic because it looks at all facets of the person. It is selective because it only picks leaders who are capable of understanding motives and motivation, but it is inclusive because it will train and educate anyone who can understand. It broadens and widens the field of potential leaders. It offers performance above and beyond expectation. It amplifies and embellishes dedication, commitment and responsibility because it includes human emotion and passion rather than excluding these essential traits and ingredients.

Source : Motivation, emotions, and leadership : the silent side of management / Richard C. Maddock, Richard L. Fulton.