PREDICTING LEADERSHIP STYLES BASED ON ACHIEVEMENT MOTIVATION

Abstract

Purpose: The fields of motivation and leadership are very wide, and there is a large number of factors that mediate their relationships. The research aimed to examine is there a correlation between leaders’ achievement motivation and their leadership styles (transformational, transactional, and passive), and whether the achievement motive can be a predictor of leadership style. Methodology: Quantitative research was conducted in 4 companies from the territory of Serbia. Leaders and their subordinates completed two questionnaires, MLQ (Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire) and AMI (Achievement Motivation Inventory). The MLQ was used to measure transformational, transactional, and passive leadership style. AMI is a psychological test that was used to evaluate the expression of achievement motivation. Main Findings: The results showed that there is a correlation between achievement motivation and passive (r = -. 544; p <.01; N = 30), transactional (r = .381; p <.05; N = 30), and transformational leadership style (r = .412; p <.05; N = 30). Regression analysis determined the equations by which those leadership styles can be predicted based on achievement motivation. Applications: The possibility of predicting leadership styles can contribute to the process of selection of employees in companies, especially those who come directly to management positions, and employee development process. Novelty/Originality of this study: Assessing motivation for achievement as a personality trait among employees and predicting the type of leadership style based on that.