Drive in Leadership: Why Energy Gets You Noticed - But Won’t Make You Effective

Drive is the fuel that powers movements, societies, and leaders. For leaders, those who are highly driven are more often visible - thanks to their proactivity — and fast-moving, due to their high energy. However, energy and pace do not necessarily equate to leadership effectiveness.

Drive often explains how someone operates—their energetic style—but not what they’re actually motivated to achieve, or whether they have the technical or relational skill to deliver outcomes. In more technical terms, drive fuels leadership emergence, but doesn’t guarantee effectiveness.

Leadership Emergence vs. Leadership Effectiveness

Leadership emergence is the likelihood that someone is seen as a leader by others. This is distinct from leadership effectiveness—the ability to deliver real value through social influence and sustained followership.

In organizations, the traits that often get leaders promoted can also derail them. Drive may push someone into the spotlight—but at its worst, it can show up as domineering behavior or tunnel vision.

Leaders: ask yourself—what are we really rewarding here?
Is it the perception of activity—or meaningful outcomes?

At its best, drive supports:

Bold direction-setting
Long-range thinking
Persistence under pressure

Many leaders, especially entrepreneurs, possess this trait in spades. However, it must be coupled with the right motivation and values to fuel positive, lasting impact.

996 Culture: Drive at Its Most Visible—and Risky

One of the most extreme (and visible) expressions of drive today is the 996 work culture—9 a.m. to 9 p.m., 6 days a week—popularized in China and now influencing some corners of Silicon Valley.

For entrepreneurs and founders, this may feel natural—if it’s a mutually agreed-upon norm among senior leaders.

But for others in the organization, especially employees with less power, 996 can become coercive. In the U.S., where healthcare is often tied to employment, imposing this kind of norm can cross the line into abuse.

Leaders: be mindful of the power you hold.
Do your people truly opt into the pace you’re setting—or do they feel trapped?

If you're going to demand high drive from your team, ensure that:

There is real consent and equity in return
Burnout risk is actively monitored
Culture-building doesn’t become control

Calibrated Drive = Sustainable Leadership

If your goal as a leader is true, positive, organizational impact, don’t mistake energy for effectiveness.

The most effective leaders seek real feedback—from their teams, a coach, and themselves. But here’s the catch: the more senior you are, the less candid feedback you’re likely to receive.

Build psychological safety into your feedback loops. Make it okay for people to challenge your pace, your expectations, and your assumptions.

The goal isn’t more drive—it’s better-directed drive. Drive that’s grounded in reflection, alignment, and values sustains not only results—but your people.

Selected References

1. Judge, T. A., Bono, J. E., Ilies, R., & Gerhardt, M. W. (2002).
Personality and leadership: A qualitative and quantitative review. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87(4), 765–780.

2. Hogan, R., Curphy, G. J., & Hogan, J. (1994).
What we know about leadership: Effectiveness and personality. American Psychologist, 49(6), 493–504.

3. Crant, J. M. (2000).
Proactive behavior in organizations. Journal of Management, 26(3), 435–462.

4. Bono, J. E., & Judge, T. A. (2004).
Personality and transformational and transactional leadership: A meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 89(5), 901–910.

5. Maslach, C., & Leiter, M. P. (2016).
Understanding the burnout experience: Recent research and its implications for psychiatry. World Psychiatry, 15(2), 103–111.

6. Pfeffer, J. (2018).
Dying for a paycheck: How modern management harms employee health and company performance—and what we can do about it. Harper Business.

7. Ashford, S. J., & Tsui, A. S. (1991).
Self-regulation for managerial effectiveness: The role of active feedback seeking. Academy of Management Journal, 34(2), 251–280.

Ginevra DrinkaNovember 13, 2025