When job performance is all relative: how family motivation energizes effort and compensates for intrinsic motivation

Supporting one's family is a major reason why many people work, yet surprisingly little research has examined the implications of family motivation. Drawing on theories of prosocial motivation and action identification, we propose that family motivation increases job performance by enhancing energy and reducing stress, and it is especially important when intrinsic motivation is lacking. Survey and diary data collected across multiple time points in a Mexican maquiladora generally support our model. Specifically, we find that family motivation enhances job performance when intrinsic motivation is low—in part by providing energy, but not by reducing stress. We conclude that supporting a family provides a powerful source of motivation that can boost performance in the workplace, offering meaningful implications for research on motivation and the dynamics of work and family engagement

Hesitant at the Helm: The Effectiveness-Emergence Paradox of Reluctance to Lead

Although many individuals are motivated to lead, some also experience reservations about taking on leadership roles. In this dissertation, I introduce reluctance to lead and examine its impact on leader effectiveness and emergence. Drawing from the approach-inhibition theory of power, I hypothesize that reluctance to lead has a curvilinear relationship with leader effectiveness, such that leaders who are somewhat reluctant to lead are more effective than their non-reluctant or highly reluctant counterparts, in part because they engage in more empowering leadership behavior. A field study of leaders in hospital nursing units provides general support for this model, although reluctance to lead is associated with an increase in leader effectiveness only up to a small degree. However, in an experiment, I find that even slight reluctance to lead reduces leader emergence because reluctance is inconsistent with leader prototypes. Together, these studies reveal a paradox: those who are particularly well-suited to lead are less likely to become leaders. This work informs theory on the relationship between leader emergence and effectiveness, with implications for enabling qualified yet reluctant candidates to take the reins of leadership.

When Job Performance is All Relative: How Family Motivation Energizes Effort and Compensates for Intrinsic Motivation

Supporting one’s family is a major reason why many people work, yet surprisingly little research has examined the implications of family motivation. Drawing on theories of prosocial motivation and action identification, we propose that family motivation increases job performance by enhancing energy and reducing stress, and it is especially important when intrinsic motivation is lacking. Survey and diary data collected across multiple time points in a Mexican maquiladora generally support our model. Specifically, we find that family motivation enhances job performance when intrinsic motivation is low—in part by providing energy, but not by reducing stress. We conclude that supporting a family provides a powerful source of motivation that can boost performance in the workplace, offering meaningful implications for research on motivation and the dynamics of work and family engagement