Motivation and Leadership are intrinsically linked in that one allows an easement in the process of the other. Without the ability to use the reciprocal leadership relationship to influence followers' motivations, leaders stagnate and are limited by their inability to accomplish all that is necessary for real change to occur. In less Rostonian terms (i.e. based on Rost (1993)), without a motivated group of followers leaders are stuck and do not reach a level of excellence. This article will discuss some important areas for motivation in leadership, as well as an application to leadership theory and a discussion of personal motivators. Motivation is the reason or purpose behind action, or what drives a person to act in a particular way. Motivation can be intrinsic or extrinsic in nature, but it is solely within the power of the individual actor to be motivated (or not) by intrinsic and extrinsic motivators. Motivation is an extremely important topic of discussion in the broader leadership conversation. It is important because it provides the basis for human action, or inaction. Leaders must be able to understand what motivates their followers in hopes of using that knowledge to guide them to behave in a certain way that is beneficial to the organization. To do this, it is up to leaders to understand the basic concepts and theories about motivation that abound. There is no shortage of motivational theories, just as there is no shortage of leadership theories; however there are some that are particularly important. Interestingly, even some of the most important ideas about motivation are nothing more than untested hypotheses with simple anecdotal observations as the backbone that have served for years of... middle of paper... role in helping a leader navigate the leadership influence relationship. It also provides a greater level of cultural and personal awareness. Motivators, optimized by persuasion, can be very powerful and lead to colossal or catastrophic actions. You must always be aware of your motivation for action and remain consistent with your commitments, ethics and ethics. Works Cited Jennings, K & Stahl-Wert, J. (2003). The leader in service. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler.Osland, J.S., Kolb, D.A., Rubin, I.M., & Turner, M.E. (Eds.). (2007). Organizational behavior: An experiential approach (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.Rost, J.C. (1993). Leadership for the twenty-first century. Westport, CT: Praeger.Steers, R.M., Porter, L.W., & Bigley, G.A. (1996). Motivation and leadership at work. (6th ed.) New York: McGraw-Hill.