Work environment and employee motivation to lead : Moderating effects of personal characteristics

Purpose – A key challenge for organizations is identification of candidates for development as organizational leaders. While selection criteria may vary, one important consideration is the extent to which an employee is motivated to lead. Previous studies have restricted investigation of the antecedents of these motivations to individual differences such as personality, self-efficacy, and previous leadership experiences, suggesting that leadership capacity may depend largely on employee selection. However, employee assessments of numerous aspects of the work environment may also have a substantial role in determining an employee’s motivation to lead (MTL), suggesting that an organization’s leadership capacity may depend on many other human resource practices. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – In this study, the authors explored the role of employee assessments of work experiences as determinants of three types of MTL. This paper investigates the impact of a value-oriented organizational culture and the employee’s assessment of the work environment (pay satisfaction, promotion possibilities, recognition, job design, internal communication, and employee’s relationship with his/her current leader). Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used to test the hypotheses. Findings – Based upon the results of 210 respondents the strength of relationship varies among the three alternative types of leadership motivation. The results suggest that besides individual differences, the perceived work environment may be a significant determinant of motivation to become an organizational leader. Employee assessments of pay, promotion opportunities, recognition, job design, quality of organizational communications, and workplace spirituality all play a role in determining employee MTL. Originality/value – This paper offers a number of implications for human resource management practices, hiring, and leadership development.