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The first and most basic prerequisite for leadership is the desire to lead.
After all, it takes hard work to become an effective leader and, if you are not prepared to put this work in or if, deep down, you're not sure whether you really want to lead, you'll struggle to convince people that you are worth following.
Leaders create the vision and set the direction for their organizations. But it is their ability to motivate and inspire people that allows them to deliver that vision. So, how much do you want to lead? This quiz will help you find out.
How To Use The Tool
Instructions
To use this tool, show the extent to which you agree with each of these statements, on a scale running from Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree. For each question, click the button in the column that most applies. Then, click the "Calculate My Total" button to add up your score. Next, check your result using the "Score Interpretation" panel below. We then direct you to resources that you can use to explore and develop your motivation to lead.
Source: This set of questions was constructed for this self-assessment and for illustrative purposes only. No prior validation work has been conducted that enables us to address the construct validity of this assessment. This self-assessment was patterned after that of A.J. DuBrin in Leadership: Research Findings, Practice and Skills (2nd edition) (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1998). P. 10-11.
Now that you have the results of this self-test, read on to decide how to move forward.
Low Motivation to Lead
If you are considering taking on a leadership role, but your score indicates that you have a low motivation to lead, there are a number of factors for you to explore.
Perhaps you feel that you don't have the right skills to be a leader. If that's the case, you can identify and develop leadership skills with our article, What a Real Leader Knows. If you're not sure what's holding you back, you can find strategies to "get you going" in our article, Leadership Motivation Tools.
If you've examined your motivation and desire, and decided that leadership is not for you, our article on Finding Career Direction will help you identify the kind of work that does motivate you.
Uncertainty About Your Motivation to Lead
If your score indicates that you are uncertain about your motivation to lead, you might just need a nudge in the right direction. You may be a leader going through a difficult patch, or you may want to lead but doubt your ability and self-confidence to do so.
It might be helpful to get a reminder of your strengths and weaknesses as a leader, or to find out if you do have the skills to lead. Our leadership skills quiz can help you do this. And you'll find tips on building self-confidence in this video.
If you want to lead, you should explore the idea of Transformational Leadership. That means being a role model for your team and living up to the standards you expect of others, motivating your people to buy into and deliver your vision, and create a process where you and your team members raise one another to the highest level.
Strong Motivation to Lead
If you've found that you are strongly motivated to lead, and you're already a leader – great! If you're not already a leader, this is definitely an area you should investigate as you plan your career.
Your score shows that you want to be a leader and that you've got the confidence to do it. So, what are your next steps to realizing that ambition? First, learn the foundations of leadership with our article, Core Leadership Theories, and, as we mentioned above, demonstrate transformational leadership.
Key Points
Leadership is not something to be entered into half-heartedly. You have to be highly motivated to do it effectively. Your people will soon pick up on any hesitancy or doubts you may have about your desire to lead, which will impact their confidence in you.The rewards of leadership can be great, but so is the level of responsibility and hard work that goes with it. And a leader needs to be more than a hard worker – he or she must also be able to motivate and inspire people to deliver a vision.
Note:
This assessment has not been validated and is intended for illustrative purposes only. It is just one of many that help you evaluate your abilities in a wide range of important career skills.
