Chapter 4
Decoding Your Drive
The Three Engines That Power Leadership Decisions
People are not lazy. They simply have impotent goals — that is, that do not inspire them.
After calibrating your leadership dashboard with the SLB, let’s lift the hood and examine the engine that powers every decision you make. David McClelland’s research shows that leaders run on three cylinders: Achievement, Affiliation, and Power. The blend is unique to each of us and shifts subtly over a career.
Vignette
Sunita, CEO of a Boutique Media Firm
Sunita’s to-do list is relentless. She takes pride in her drive for achieving everything she sets out to. But today a moment’s reflection reveals that she’s neglecting her need for collaboration. She audits her calendar and notices a sea of solo work, few team connections. She looks up to glance at the poster she has framed on her wall — “TEAM – Together Each Achieves More” — and can’t help but notice that she has not been role-modelling it. Without delay, she reaches out for a team lunch, determined to fuel both achievement and affiliation in her leadership style.
Exercise
Try it Now
- Post-It Fuel Mix — write each driver on a sticky note. Arrange them by score above your desk as a visual reminder.
- Conversation Audit — over the next week, notice which driver shows up most in meetings; jot observations in your journal.
- Diversify Day — pick one meeting to deliberately lead from your lowest driver.
Take the mirror from this chapter
Begin the assessment →