Patton, Motivation and Leadership

Paper Summary:

The paper examines the case of George S. Patton, a skilled military commander. The paper shows how selfishness, a desire for self-aggrandizement and a need for power were what motivated him to lead as he did. The paper discusses how, while Patton's forceful nature and general competence made him an effective administrator in many ways, his selfishness and obvious character flaws made him a deeply flawed leader.

From the Paper:

"It is often conceded that life is fundamentally a quest for power ("Power, Love and Sex at Work," 117). For all intents and purposes, power is the ability of one individual to shape the activities of another individual or group of individuals; in other words, it is the ability of one party to make another party do what he or she would otherwise be disinclined to do. Naturally enough, there are people who are consumed by the "Power motive" and will seek out power wherever they find it. That being said, the pursuit of power does not necessarily involve running for high office or campaigning for an elevated position within an organization; to wit, people who seek power may also find some semblance of it in drug use, the exploitation of others (most notably loved ones) and in the constant embrace of risk-taking behavior entailing physical challenges or threats of one kind or another ("Power, Love, and Sex at Work," 118)."

Sample of Sources Used:

• "Chapter 5: Power, Love, and Sex at Work." Pp.117-134 "Motivation in Organizational Behavior" by Craig S. Pinder.

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