Motivation-to-serve Vs Motivation-to-lead

When a leader has a motivation to lead rather than a motivation to serve

Followers will notice a difference because the two leaders will behave differently as a result of their varying motivations. While a leader motivated to serve is affected by the needs and interests of others, a leader motivated to lead is motivated by his or her personality and unique motivational characteristics (Ng & Koh, 2010).

In this instance, leaders who are motivated to serve are influenced by the desire to meet the wants and interests of others, whereas leaders who are motivated to lead are influenced by the desire to influence others (Ng & Koh, 2010). In this case, leaders who are motivated to lead become leaders because they are motivated by the desire to influence others, while leaders who are motivated to serve are influenced by the desire to meet the needs and interests of others.

The interests of the followers are met when the leader is motivated to serve

The followers are allowed to develop because the leader dedicates resources to the development of subordinates. Therefore, followers become empowered when they are being led by leaders who have motivation-to-serve. On the other hand, followers led by leaders who have the motivation-to-lead experience authoritative leadership. They are not allowed to express their feelings, needs and interests because the leaders who have motivation-to-lead have an inclination to take charge (Ng & Koh, 2010). Such leaders are not concerned about the needs and interests of followers.

Servant leaders are also motivated to lead by the challenges and problems that the community is facing

(Ng & Koh, 2010). They get to leadership because they want to address a problem facing the community; hence followers participate in the decisions to solve their problems. Leaders who are motivated to lead are driven by their individual desires to take charge and influence others; hence followers lack the opportunity to express themselves and participate in decisions that affect their lives.

References

Ng, K.-Y., & Koh, C. S.-K. (2010). Motivation to serve: Understanding the heart of the servant leader and servant leadership behaviours. In van Dierendonck, D. & Patterson, K. (Eds.), Servant Leadership: Developments in theory and practice (pp. 90-100). Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan.