Motivational contagion in a leader-follower dynamic

Abstract

Motivational contagion is a process where one individual’s motivations are adopted by others (Dragoni & Kuenzi, 2012). Leaders enact motivational contagion when they share their goal orientations with followers. The present work applied motivational contagion to a leader-follower dynamic to identify how motivational contagion occurs and if substitutes/neutralizers to leadership reduce the rates of motivational contagion. It was hypothesized that motivational contagion occurs because leaders behaviorally establish a desired goal orientation which signals followers to similarly adopt that goal orientation. The presence of substitutes/neutralizers to leadership were hypothesized to moderate and reduce the rates of motivational contagion. These hypotheses were mostly supported, indicating that leaders do share their goal orientations with followers, but this process is sometimes hindered by substitutes/neutralizers to leadership. Theoretical implications include a new model for motivational contagion in a leader-follower dynamic that can inform future research. Practical implications include a reminder to leaders to be aware of what motivations they silently share with followers.