A motivational model of leadership: Predicting long-term management success from TAT measures of power motivation and responsibility

Abstract

In an AT&T longitudinal study of managers, managerial success after sixteen years is predicted by "responsible power," which is a combination of TAT-based measures of power motivation and responsibility. These results are consistent with previous theory and research on leadership, and are similar to those obtained with the leadership motive pattern, on the same sample, by McClelland and Boyatzis. The theoretical basis and independently established empirical validity of the new measure of responsibility increases our understanding of how power motivation is channeled into responsible "leadership" behavior instead of exploitative dominance strivings.