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Work Motivation Motivation is an organizational behavior concept that has long been studied by various practitioners. Martires & Fule (2000) proffered motivation in the work setting as referring to “the whole set of drives, needs, and similar forces that prompt a person to act in a certain way or to develop a tendency for specific behavior” (p. 2). Accordingly, motivation has been revealed to be the why and cause of behavior. Motivation energizes behavior and gives it direction. It is the drive and strength toward an action.

When managers motivate subordinates, one structures the work environment in such a way that their drives and needs are brought into play, instead of being neglected. This environment is made conducive to the satisfaction of those drives and needs so that workers act in desired ways. There have been enumerable motivational theories and models that were proffered: from Maslow’s hierarchy of needs (Maslow, 1954), McClelland’s model that focuses on three motives of achievement, affiliation and power (McClelland, 1961); Alderfer’s existence, relatedness, and existence model (Alderfer, 1969), and Herzberg’s motivation – hygiene theory that suggests two separate factors: hygiene and motivational, as leading to either job satisfaction or dissatisfaction (Herzberg, 1966).

More contemporary motivational theories continue to emerge, such as goal-setting, equity theory, and expectancy theory (Campuzano & Flores, n.d.) that aim to determine presently influencing factors that motivate people in the workplace. Leadership Concurrent and closely linked with motivation is leadership in terms of the power that designs and evaluated factors that drive human resources to work towards the accomplishment of defined goals. Bennis averred that “leadership is a function of knowing yourself, having a vision that is well communicated, building trust among colleagues, and taking effective action to realize your own leadership potential” (Christian Leadership, n.d., par. 7). It is the process of influencing people so that they will seek defined objectives enthusiastically.

Tannenbaum & Massarik describe the relationship between leadership and influence by saying that leadership is ”interpersonal influence, exercised in situations and directed, through the communication process, toward the attainment of specified goal or goals. Leadership always involves attempts on the part of a leader (influencer) to affect (influence) the behavior of a follower (influence) or followers in a situation” (Tannenbaum & Massarik, 1957, p. 3). As there are diverse motivational theories, leadership concepts and models likewise abound: McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y that explains the nature of leadership style and assumptions about the nature of people; Fred Fiedler’s contingency model where leadership is seen as contingent on the leader’s style and the situation; as well as Blanchard’s situational model that suggests that the choice of appropriate leadership style depends on the development level of subordinates (Martires & Fule, 2000, pp.

159, 169 & 173). Likewise, there are contemporary theories that emerge: servant leadership, transformational leadership, transactional leadership, charismatic, and symbolic leadership, among others