Leadership conversations often focus on strategy, performance, and outcomes. But beneath every decision and interaction lies something less visible, and arguably more influential: motive.
In a recent interview, leadership expert Jill Macauley of Behavioral Essentials reframed leadership not as a function of what leaders do, but why they do it. Motive, she explains, is “the heartbeat of why you get out of bed every morning”—a force that operates largely beneath conscious awareness yet shapes behavior, perception, and ultimately, impact.
This distinction matters. Because when leaders fail to examine their motives, they also miss the blind spots that come with them.
Motive vs. Intention: A Subtle but Critical Difference
At first glance, motive and intention may seem interchangeable. Both influence behavior. Both drive action. But they operate at different levels of awareness.
Intention tends to be conscious and goal-oriented: what a leader plans to do. Motive, by contrast, is often deeper and less visible—an internal driver that shapes how and why those intentions take form.
A leader may intend to move quickly on a project, for example. But if their underlying motive is achievement—the drive to accomplish and produce—they may operate with urgency that others experience as pressure or haste.
This gap between internal motive and external impact is where many leadership challenges begin.
The Three Core Motives That Shape Behavior
Drawing on research from psychologist David McClelland, Macauley outlines three primary motives that commonly show up in leadership:
- Achievement: the drive to accomplish, produce, and make progress
- Affiliation: the desire for connection, belonging, and positive relationships
- Power (or control): the motivation to influence outcomes and shape direction
Each person carries some combination of these motives, typically with one or two more dominant than others.
Importantly, none of these motives is inherently good or bad. Each can contribute meaningfully to leadership effectiveness. But each also comes with predictable blind spots.
When Strengths Become Blind Spots
The same motive that fuels effectiveness can, under pressure or without awareness, create unintended consequences.
- A leader high in achievement may drive results efficiently—but risk burnout, both for themselves and their team. Their sense of urgency can make everything feel critical, even when it’s not.
- A leader motivated by affiliation may foster trust and connection—but struggle with difficult conversations or decisions that could disrupt relationships.
- A leader driven by power may provide clarity and direction—but risk micromanaging or limiting autonomy when control feels threatened.
These blind spots are rarely intentional. In fact, they often emerge from positive intentions. But intention does not determine impact—perception does.
Why Leaders Struggle to See Their Own Motives
If motive is so influential, why is it so rarely examined?
Part of the answer lies in habit. Many professional environments prioritize action over reflection. Leaders are rewarded for output, efficiency, and results—not for pausing to interrogate why they are doing what they do.
As Macauley notes, there is little built-in practice for asking questions like:
- Why did I choose this role?
- What actually energizes me about this work?
- What frustrates me—and why?
Without this reflection, motive remains largely unconscious, shaping behavior without being named.
The Role of Motive in Trust and Team Dynamics
Motive also plays a quiet but powerful role in trust.
People may not be able to articulate a leader’s motive, but they can often sense it. When there is alignment between what a leader says and how they behave, trust tends to follow. When there is a disconnect, trust erodes.
For example, a leader who claims collaboration but withholds information may be perceived as competing for power. Similarly, a colleague who downplays ambition while signaling otherwise through behavior can create unease within a team.
Clarity—about both goals and motives—helps reduce this ambiguity. It allows teams to interpret behavior more accurately and respond with less friction.
The Case for Motive Diversity in Leadership Teams
A common assumption is that teams function best when members share similar motivations. In practice, the opposite is often true.
Diverse motives can create balance:
- Achievement-driven individuals push progress
- Affiliation-oriented leaders maintain cohesion
- Power-motivated leaders ensure direction and influence
When understood and managed well, this diversity strengthens decision-making and organizational resilience. When misunderstood, it can lead to conflict—often rooted not in disagreement, but in differing underlying drivers.
Emotional Reactions as Data
Because motives are not always easy to access directly, Macauley points to a more immediate signal: emotional reactions.
Moments of frustration, defensiveness, or urgency often reveal something deeper at play. Rather than dismissing these reactions, leaders can use them as entry points for reflection:
- Why did this situation trigger me?
- What felt threatened or blocked?
- Is this about the outcome—or about me?
These questions help surface the underlying motive, making it easier to manage its impact.
Can Motives Be Changed?
In most cases, motives remain relatively stable over time. The goal is not to change them, but to understand and manage them.
A leader driven by achievement is unlikely to lose that drive—but they can learn when to slow down. A leader motivated by affiliation may always prioritize relationships—but can develop strategies for navigating necessary tension.
The work is not about eliminating motive, but aligning it with context.
The Shadow Side: When Motive Is Driven by Fear
There is also a more complex dimension to motive—one tied to insecurity.
Leaders may pursue achievement, power, or affiliation not only because they value them, but because they feel a lack:
- Not successful enough
- Not influential enough
- Not liked enough
When motive is driven by fear or inadequacy, it can lead to overcompensation—working excessively, controlling outcomes tightly, or seeking constant validation.
Without awareness, this pattern can affect both the leader’s well-being and the broader organizational culture.
Awareness as the Starting Point
Across all of these dynamics, one theme remains consistent: awareness.
Understanding motive does not require complex tools or frameworks. It begins with simple, consistent reflection—and a willingness to examine not just what is happening, but why.
When leaders can name their motives, recognize their blind spots, and understand how their behavior is perceived, they gain a critical advantage: the ability to lead with greater clarity, alignment, and trust.
And in a landscape where leadership is increasingly defined by human dynamics as much as strategy, that awareness is not optional—it is foundational.
