Prime Ministers as Leaders: Applying Self-Determination Theory on Australian Prime Ministers
Authors
Joakim Eidenfalk
School of Humanities and Social Inquiry, Faculty of Law, Humanities and the Arts, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
Vivien W. Forner
School of Management, Operations & Marketing, Faculty of Business, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
Michael Jones
School of Management, Operations & Marketing, Faculty of Business, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
Dominique Rene Parrish
Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
Abstract
The leadership capability of Australia’s four Prime Ministers 1996 – 2015 has been widely debated by political commentators, financial analysts and the general public. The success of these senior leaders has been questioned, as has their management of their office, staff, and colleagues. This article will investigate the performances of these four Australia Prime Ministers – John Howard, Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott. Self-Determination Theory (SDT) is presented as a framework that could provide guidance on the aspects of leadership that if attended to could result in enhanced performance of political leaders and ultimately security of their position. SDT is also used as a theoretical lens to evaluate the behaviour and provide a comparative assessment of these four Australian Prime Ministers. It is posited that SDT analysis illustrates ways that each of the four Prime Ministers could have performed better and highlights key lessons for current and future leaders around the world.
