Assessing Leadership StyleThey are good at sizing up situations and sensing what tactics will
work to achieve their goals. Indeed, they are highly Machiavellian,
often working behind the scenes to ensure that their positions pre-
vail. Leaders high in the need for power are generally daring and
charming—the dashing hero. But they have little real regard for
those around them or for people in general. In effect, other people
and groups are viewed as instruments for the leader's ends; guile and
deceit are perceived as part of the game of politics. Such leaders set
up rules to ensure conformity to their ideas—rules that can change
abruptly if the leader's goals or interests change. At first followers are
beguiled by leaders who are high in this motive since they are able to
produce results and are charismatic, but the "bloom often leaves the
rose" over time as such leaders exploit their followers and as their
goals diverge from what the people want or feel they need.
Leaders high in the need for power will test the limits before
adhering to a course of action, bartering and bargaining up until the
last moment in order to see what is possible and what the conse-
quences will be of pushing further toward their goals. These leaders
are more skillful in such negotiations when they can interact directly
with those involved; without face-to-face interaction, such leaders
can misjudge the assumptions the other party is making and how far
they are willing to go.
When the need for power is low, leaders have less need to be in
charge; they can be one among several who have influence. It is per-
fectly OK with them that others receive credit for what happens.
Indeed, empowering others is important for such a leader. They are
willing to sacrifice their own interests for those of the group, since in
their view what is good for the group is, in truth, good for them.
Leaders low in the need for power enable their followers to feel
strong and responsible by empowering them to act as emissaries and
expand the group or the group's assets. Through this process these
leaders engender high morale in their followers and a sense of team
spirit and goal clarity. Such leaders also have a sense of justice. They
deal with people evenhandedly based on the norms of the group;
they play no favorites so people know where they stand and what will
happen if they violate the norms. Their intent is to build a relation-
ship of trust with their followers and a sense of shared responsibility