In this study, we investigate whether or not there is a connection between three distinct but complementary areas of research, namely the behavioural science of motivation, adult learning, and leadership. What is it that keeps mature professionals interested in furthering their education, and how does that relate to their leadership style and effectiveness? An expansion of the existing body of literature is investigated in order to combine andragogy, self-determination, and the theory of transformational leadership. A cohort of adult professionals in leadership positions has their responses to questions taken from two different models, the Care Model of Adult Orientation and Implication on Learning and Training Activities and the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire. These models were modified from one another. The findings suggest that leadership style can be predicted using learning motivation orientation and that there is a positive correlation between the two. Further ramifications of the "learnerleader" for research, practice, and higher education initiatives are addressed, along with how learning motivation can be used as a tool to forecast leadership style and improve leader selection, development, and succession. Also covered are additional implications of the "learnerleader" concept. This quantifiable research has the potential to offer significant insights into how the quality of having an intrinsic motivation to learn can act as a precursor to transformational leadership behavior, as well as the influence that transformational leaders have on the teams and organizations that they are a part of.