ADM 612 - Leadership
Lecture 7 – Path-Goal Theory
Introduction
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Path-goal theory is about how leaders motivate
subordinates to accomplish designated goals.
Evans (1970), House (1971), House and Dessler
(1974), House and Mitchell (1974).
Path-goal theory emphasizes the relationship
between the leader’s style and the characteristics
of the subordinates and the work setting.
Introduction
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Leadership generates motivations when it
increases the number and kinds of payoffs
that subordinates receive for their work.
Defines goals.
Clarifies path to the goals.
Removes obstacles and roadblocks.
Makes work more personally satisfying.
Path-Goal
Leadership
Major
Components
of Path-Goal
Theory
Leader Behaviors
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Directive leadership.
– Task-oriented, expectations, techniques,
timeline, standards of performance.
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Supportive leadership.
– Friendliness, approachability, empathy,
needs-oriented, equality, respect.
Leader Behaviors
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Participative leadership.
– Sharing, consultation, advice-seeking,
integration.
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Achievement-oriented leadership.
– Challenging, high standard of excellence,
confidence in subordinates’ abilities.
Leader Behaviors
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Styles will vary depending on
subordinates and situations.
Assumes subordinates will adapt
styles to circumstances.
Subordinate Characteristics
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Characteristics:
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Needs for affiliation,
Preference for structure
Desires for control,
Self-perceived level of task ability.
Subordinate Characteristics
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Patterns
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Needs affiliation requires supportive leadership.
Dogmatic and authoritarian subordinates with an
ambiguous task require directive leadership.
Internal locus of control requires participative leadership.
External locus of control requires directive leadership.
As subordinate’s confidence in their own skills goes up,
the need for directive leadership goes down.
Task Characteristics
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Components.
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Design of task.
Formal authority system.
Primary work group norms.
Structured task, strong norms, established
authority: leadership becomes redundant
and overbearing.
Task Characteristics
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Unclear and ambiguous tasks:
leadership provides structure.
Repetitive tasks: leadership should
provide support.
Task Characteristics
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Weak authority: leadership should
provide rules and work requirements.
Weak norms: leadership provides
cohesiveness and role responsibility.
Task Characteristics
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Obstacles create excessive
uncertainties, frustrations or threats.
Leadership should remove obstacles
or enable subordinates to circumvent
them.
How Does
the PathGoal Model
Work?
Strengths
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Links leadership behaviors to subordinate
satisfaction and work performance.
Develops four distinct types of leadership.
Integrates subordinate motivation into
leadership theory.
Model is practical.
Criticisms
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Complexity makes interpretation and
application difficult.
Only partial empirical support.
Does not really explain link between
leadership behavior and motivation.
Puts more burden on leader than follower.
Application
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Not many management training
programs.
But provides a general set of
recommendations for how leaders
should act in various situations.
Applications
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Complex tasks – directive.
Dull tasks – supportive.
Subordinates need control –
participative.
Subordinates need to excel –
achievement-oriented.
Applications
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Applies to all levels and tasks in an
organization.
To apply, assess subordinates and tasks
and choose an appropriate style to match
characteristics.
Model reminds leaders that their central
purpose is to help subordinates define their
goals and achieve them efficiently.