Towards an understanding of the emergence of leadership style : impact of values and motivation to lead.

Abstract

This study aims to resolve the differences between James McGregor Burns and Bernard Bass’s theories on transformational leadership, with regards to their emphasis on the role of values. The relationship between values and three types of leadership styles (transformational, transactional and non-leadership), and the mediating effects of the Motivation to Lead (MTL) were examined. Participants filled in a questionnaire measuring their values and MTL at the beginning of the study. They were measured again two years later on their leadership styles. Results supported values can significantly predict leadership styles, and that MTL exerts a mediating effect between values and leadership styles. Implications of this study on leadership training were discussed.