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What Motivates Candidates For Office?

The three questions most frequently asked of candidates are: Why are you running? What makes you better than other candidates? What will you do for me as an elected official, or if an incumbent, what have you done for me? This article is my brief attempt as a psychotherapist to address the first question of motivation for running.

I asked a friend what motivates candidates to seek elected office. His immediate reply was “money, power, to be a big-shot, to serve constituents, or to push an agenda.” In this era of extreme skepticism about politicians, is he right?

One philosophy is based around 9 primary human motivations. Individuals are most strongly motivated by two or three of the nine, and those motivations shape personalities along with experience, character, and genetics. The nine are: #1. to be right (the perfectionist); #2. To be helpful: #3. To succeed; #4. To be unique; #5. To analyze and understand; #6. To discern the truth (the skeptic); #7. To have fun (the adventurer); #8. To lead; #9. To create peace. Each of these motivations ranges along a continuum from the lower or less-developed end to the higher, or more mature, end. However, each motivation is equal with no one better than another. For example, at the lower end of a #2 helper is a manipulator whereas at the higher end is Mother Teresa. For more information and a test of your personal motivations, take the RHETI test at http://www.9types.com/

What if an elected body, such as the Board of County Commissioners, consists of five #8 leaders? The 9 motivational types tied to differing experiences, values, and genetics creates an infinite variety of dynamics. However, a #8 leader who is motivated to dominate serving with a #8 leader who is motivated not to be dominated (differing leadership styles on the #8 continuum) could create conflict between the two leaders. Whereas a #8 leader who is equally motivated by a #9 peacemaker side could make an excellent mediator or president of a Board or achieve legislative compromises in an assembly setting. A #8 leader who refuses to be dominated combined with strong values and experience at withstanding difficult times could exhibit courage.

Let’s hope that the motivations that surface in our next crop of candidates for local elected positions serve the public well!