Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506-0044, USA.
J Pers Soc Psychol. 2011 Jan;100(1):47-65. doi: 10.1037/a0020932.
When leaders perform solitary tasks, do they self-regulate to maximize their effort, or do they reduce effort and conserve their resources? Our model suggests that power motivates self-regulation toward effective performance-unless the task is perceived as unworthy of leaders. Our 1st studies showed that power improves self-regulation and performance, even when resources for self-regulation are low (ego depletion). Additional studies showed that leaders sometimes disdain tasks they deem unworthy, by withholding effort (and therefore performing poorly). Ironically, during ego depletion, leaders skip the appraisal and, therefore, work hard regardless of task suitability, so that depleted leaders sometimes outperform nondepleted ones. Our final studies replicated these patterns with different tasks and even with simple manipulation of framing and perception of the same task (Experiment 5). Experiment 4 also showed that the continued high exertion of leaders when depleted takes a heavy toll, resulting in larger impairments later. The judicious expenditure of self-control resources among powerful people may help them prioritize their efforts to pursue their goals effectively.
当领导者独自完成任务时，他们是自我调节以最大限度地提高努力程度，还是减少努力并节省资源？我们的模型表明，权力激励自我调节以实现有效绩效——除非任务被认为不值得领导者关注。我们的第一项研究表明，即使自我调节资源较低（自我损耗），权力也能提高自我调节和绩效。其他研究表明，领导者有时会轻视他们认为不值得的任务，从而不努力（因此表现不佳）。具有讽刺意味的是，在自我损耗期间，领导者跳过评估，因此无论任务是否合适，都会努力工作，因此耗尽精力的领导者有时表现优于未耗尽精力的领导者。我们的最后研究用不同的任务甚至通过简单地改变对同一任务的框架和感知来复制这些模式（实验 5）。实验 4 还表明，当资源耗尽时，领导者继续高度投入会付出沉重的代价，导致以后更大的障碍。有权势的人明智地分配自我控制资源，可能有助于他们优先考虑努力，以有效地实现目标。
