Angelica V. Marte & Isabelle Ermer

The following article contributes to the current discourse of female under-representation in executive management and develops implications for an inclusive talent management taking gender-specific differences into account. The focus lies on an empirical study of the psychological phenomenon of leadership motivation, and eventual differences between men and women. In an experimental cross-sectional study on the topic of leadership motivation, 226 persons born between 1980 and 1996 were examined using an online questionnaire, based on the Condensed Leadership Motivation Model (CLMM). Data analyses show a significant gender-dependent difference in the characteristics of the avoidance components of leadership motives: women show a stronger avoidance attitude than men. The results point to motivational obstacles that place a significant barrier for women on their way to executive positions. These must be considered within the framework of gender-sensitive, inclusive talent management.