An exploratory study of gender and motivation to lead in millennials

ABSTRACT

This study explores how gender predicts millennial employee motivation to take a leadership role within a work organization. Previous studies have considered multiple factors in predicting three distinct types of employee motivation to lead, but none have considered how gender may impact this relationship, specifically within the millennial population. Using a sample of 210 employees from a range of industries, results indicate that gender directly affects two types of motivation to lead. In addition to enhancing the theoretical model of employee motivation to accept organizational leadership responsibilities, the results have practical significance for organizations concerned with attracting and developing millennial organizational leaders.

KEYWORDS:

• Gender
• leadership
• millennials
• motivation to lead

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Data availability statement

The data described in this article are openly available in the Open Science Framework at https://osf.io/cwqsu/?view_only=Noneandhttps://osf.io/cwqsu/?view_only=None

Open Scholarship

This article has earned the Center for Open science badges for Open Data and Open Materials through Open Practices Disclosure. The data and materials are openly accessible at https://osf.io/cwqsu/?view_only=Noneandhttps://osf.io/cwqsu/?view_only=None

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Tracy H. Porter

Tracy H. Porter, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor of Management at Cleveland State University. Her research is focused on individual differences, leadership development, and health care administration and her papers have been published in a variety of top journals including Journal of Vocational Behavior and Health Care Management Review.

Megan W. Gerhardt

Megan W. Gerhardt, Ph.D. is a Professor of Management & Leadership at the Farmer School of Business, Miami University. Her current research focuses on the leadership of multiple generations and her work has appeared in top journals, including the Journal of Applied Psychology, Personnel Psychology, and Personality and Individual Differences, among others.

Dail Fields

Dr. Dail Fields has served as professor and PhD program director for the Regent University, where he is currently engaged as adjunct professor. He has also served as a senior researcher with the University of Georgia. Dr. Fields holds a PhD from the Georgia Institute of Technology [1994], and BA with honors from Johns Hopkins University [1968].

Marilyn Bugenhagen

Marilyn Bugenhagen, Ph.D. is a faculty at the U.S. Federal Executive Institute. Her work focuses through the lens of cognitive and developmental psychology specifically on developing leader capacity for navigating change and complexity.