The Relationship of Professional Values and Spirituality with Motivation to Lead: The Mediating Effect of Social Justice Importance
The Relationship of Professional Values and Spirituality with Motivation to Lead: The Mediating Effect of Social Justice Importance
Michele R. Wells | 2016
Abstract
Motivation to lead (MTL) is an individual differences construct used as a measurement of an individual’s motivation to take on leadership roles and responsibilities (Chan & Drasgow, 2001). The current exploratory study examined the values of a professional organization—the National Association of Social Workers (NASW)—and individual spirituality as predictors of the four forms of MTL—affective identity (AIMTL), social normative (SNMTL), noncalculative (NCMTL), and ideological (Amit, Lisak, Popper, & Gal, 2007; Chan & Drasgow, 2001). In previous studies using military samples, researchers have controlled for attitudes toward military service (Chan & Drasgow, 2001; Clemmons & Fields, 2011), but the norms of a professional organization have not been previously studied as a predictor of MTL. Previous studies have explored spirituality as a predictor of MTL, finding both positive and negative correlation with the Chan and Drasgow (2001) forms (AIMTL, SNMTL, NCMTL) of the MTL construct (Clemmons, 2008; Porter, 2011; Smith, 2010). Ideological MTL had not been studied using professional norms or spirituality as independent variables. The current study further explored the importance of social justice as a mediator of the relationship between professional norms, spirituality, and the four forms of MTL. The sample participants were professional social workers (N = 302) who by virtue of their education as social workers adhere to the NASW (2008) Code of Ethics. The Code of Ethics is a guide for social workers’ conduct and the promotion of social justice inherent to the mission of social work (NASW, 2008). This study used quantitative measures to examine the relationships among the variables. Theoretical and practical implications are addressed as well as limitations, delimitations, and direction for future research.