Right Motivation in Leaders
Applying Buddhist principles to leadership decisions
Teacher Experience
A contemplative invitation for educators to reflect on before teaching.How can we embody kind-hearted motivation as leaders of our students? Reflect on those teachers who made a positive impact on your life, and consider the attitude and awareness you wish to bring to your students. Contemplate this reflection by Maya Angelou: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Recite a simple aspiration prayer for their wellbeing, such as the Morning Aspiration from MWS (See resources).
Student Experience
A contemplative invitation for students to connect with this learning goal.Reflect on a time when you were disappointed by a leader’s decision or behavior—whether a teacher, coach, family member, or public figure. What did you wish they had considered? How did their motivation affect your trust in them?
Understanding
Students will understand...Buddhist frameworks provide specific guidance for evaluating leadership through the eightfold path, particularly right motivation, which emphasizes intentions aimed at reducing harm and benefiting others. These principles help distinguish between leaders driven by self-interest versus those motivated by genuine care for others’ wellbeing.
Action
Students are able to...Apply right motivation principles from the eightfold path to evaluate leadership decisions by practicing the assessment of personal and others’ motivations using Buddhist criteria, implementing right intention in their own leadership opportunities, and designing intervention strategies when witnessing harmful leadership motivations.
Content Knowledge
Students will know...Buddhist teachings offer specific guidance for ethical leadership through the eightfold path, especially right motivation or right intention. Right motivation means that leaders should be driven by three main intentions: renunciation (giving up selfish desires), goodwill (wanting others to be happy), and harmlessness (avoiding actions that hurt people). This differs from leaders motivated by personal gain, power over others, or revenge against enemies. Leaders with right motivation make decisions by considering how their actions will affect everyone involved, not just themselves or their closest supporters. They understand that leadership is a form of service, not an opportunity for personal benefit. The eightfold path also emphasizes right mindfulness, which means being fully aware of one’s thoughts, emotions, and motivations in the present moment, as well as understanding the long-term consequences of decisions. This awareness helps leaders recognize when they’re being influenced by the three poisons and consciously choose more beneficial motivations instead.
Guiding Questions
Implementation Possibilities
Practice analyzing contemporary political, community, and organizational leaders through the lens of right motivation, examining evidence of their intentions and impacts. Implement personal leadership experiments where students consciously apply right intention principles in their roles as student leaders, family members, and community participants. Design intervention strategies for addressing harmful leadership patterns they observe in their peer groups, schools, or communities. Create debate and discussion opportunities where students evaluate different leadership approaches using Buddhist ethical frameworks. Establish mentorship or service learning projects where students practice embodying right motivation in leadership roles while receiving feedback on their intentions and impacts.
Assessment Ideas
Evaluate students’ analytical skills through case study assessments where they apply Buddhist leadership criteria to complex real-world situations. Assess their personal integration through self-reflection portfolios documenting their experiments with right motivation in leadership opportunities. Observe their practical application during collaborative projects and community engagement activities, noting their attention to beneficial intentions and impacts.
