Read the CHAPTER 5 AND CHAPTER 6 THEN..... This week's discussion focuses on the different actions leaders should take, given changing situations, as well as the approaches they can take to guide foll

Path–Goal Theory Chapter 6 Northouse – Leadership: Theory and Practice, Eighth Edition © 2019 SAGE Publishing, Inc. Overview  Path–Goal Theory Perspective  Conditions of Leadership Motivation  Leader Behaviors and Follower Characteristics  Task Characteristics  How Does PGT Work?

Northouse – Leadership: Theory and Practice, Eighth Edition © 2019 SAGE Publishing, Inc. Path–Goal Theory (House, 1971) Description (1 of 2)  Definition  Path–goal theory centers on how leaders motivate followers to accomplish designated goals  Emphasizes the relationship between  the leader’s style  the characteristics of the followers  the work setting Northouse – Leadership: Theory and Practice, Eighth Edition © 2019 SAGE Publishing, Inc. Path–Goal Theory (House, 1971) Description (2 of 2) Perspective  Goal--To enhance employee performance and satisfaction by focusing on employee motivation  Motivational Principles (based on Expectancy Theory):

Followers will be motivated if they believe  they are capable of performing their work  that their efforts will result in a certain outcome  that the payoffs for doing their work are worthwhile Northouse – Leadership: Theory and Practice, Eighth Edition © 2019 SAGE Publishing, Inc. Challenge to Leader  Use a leadership style that best meets followers’ motivational needs  Choose behaviors that complement or supplement what is missing in the work setting  Enhance goal attainment by providing information or rewards  Provide followers with the elements they need to reach their goals Northouse – Leadership: Theory and Practice, Eighth Edition © 2019 SAGE Publishing, Inc. Conditions of Leadership Motivation Leadership generates motivation when  It increases the number and kinds of payoffs followers receive from their work  Makes the path to the goal clear and easy to travel through with coaching and direction  Removes obstacles and roadblocks to attaining the goal  Makes the work itself more personally satisfying Northouse – Leadership: Theory and Practice, Eighth Edition © 2019 SAGE Publishing, Inc. Northouse – Leadership: Theory and Practice, Eighth Edition © 2019 SAGE Publishing, Inc. Northouse – Leadership: Theory and Practice, Eighth Edition © 2019 SAGE Publishing, Inc. Leader Behaviors (1 of 4) Directive Leadership Leader who gives followers task instruction including:

 What is expected of them  How task is to be done  Timeline for task completion  Clear standards of performance  Clear rules and regulations Northouse – Leadership: Theory and Practice, Eighth Edition © 2019 SAGE Publishing, Inc. Leader Behaviors (2 of 4) Supportive Leadership Leader who is friendly and approachable :

 Attending to well-being and human needs of followers  Using supportive behavior to make work environment pleasant  Treating followers as equals and giving them respect for their status Northouse – Leadership: Theory and Practice, Eighth Edition © 2019 SAGE Publishing, Inc. Leader Behaviors (3 of 4) Participative Leadership Leader who invites followers to share in the decision making:

 Consults with followers  Seeks their ideas and opinions  Integrates their input into group/organizational decisions Northouse – Leadership: Theory and Practice, Eighth Edition © 2019 SAGE Publishing, Inc. Leader Behaviors (4 of 4) Achievement-Oriented Leadership Leader who challenges followers to perform work at the highest level possible:

 Establishes a high standard of excellence for subordinates  Seeks continuous improvement  Demonstrates a high degree of confidence in followers’ ability to establish and achieve challenging goals Northouse – Leadership: Theory and Practice, Eighth Edition © 2019 SAGE Publishing, Inc. Follower Characteristics (1 of 3)  Strong need for affiliation  Friendly and concerned leadership is a source of satisfaction  Prefers supportive leadership  Preference for psychological structure  For example, dogmatic and authoritarian follower  Leadership provides psychological structure, task clarity, and greater sense of certainty in work setting  Prefers directive leadership Northouse – Leadership: Theory and Practice, Eighth Edition © 2019 SAGE Publishing, Inc. Follower Characteristics (2 of 3)  Desire for Control  Internal locus of control  Leadership that allows followers to feel in charge of their work and makes them an integral part of the decision-making process  Prefers participative leadership  External locus of control  Leadership that parallels followers’ feelings that outside forces control their circumstances  Prefers directive leadership Northouse – Leadership: Theory and Practice, Eighth Edition © 2019 SAGE Publishing, Inc. Follower Characteristics (3 of 3)  Perception of their own ability--specific task  As perception of ability and competence goes up, need for highly directive leadership goes down.

 Directive leadership may become redundant, possibly excessively controlling.

Northouse – Leadership: Theory and Practice, Eighth Edition © 2019 SAGE Publishing, Inc. Task Characteristics (1 of 3) Components  Design of followers’ task  Organization’s formal authority system  Primary work group of followers Northouse – Leadership: Theory and Practice, Eighth Edition © 2019 SAGE Publishing, Inc. Task Characteristics (2 of 3) Task Situations Requiring Leader Involvement  Unclear and ambiguous-- Leader needs to provide structure  Highly repetitive-- Leader needs to provide support to maintain follower motivation  Weak formal authority-- If formal authority system is weak, the leader needs to assist followers by making rules and work requirements clear  Nonsupportive/weak group norms-- Leader needs to help build cohesiveness and role responsibility Northouse – Leadership: Theory and Practice, Eighth Edition © 2019 SAGE Publishing, Inc. Task Characteristics (3 of 3) Obstacles  Anything in the work setting that gets in the way of followers  They create excessive uncertainties, frustrations, or threats for followers  Leader’s responsibility is to help followers by  Removing the obstacles  Helping followers around them  Assisting with obstacles will increase  Followers’ expectations to complete the task  Their sense of job satisfaction Northouse – Leadership: Theory and Practice, Eighth Edition © 2019 SAGE Publishing, Inc. How Does the Path–Goal Theory Work?

(1 of 2)  Focus of Path–Goal Theory  Strengths  Criticisms  Application Northouse – Leadership: Theory and Practice, Eighth Edition © 2019 SAGE Publishing, Inc. How Does the Path–Goal Theory Work? (1 of 2)  The leader’s job is to help followers reach their goals by directing, guiding, and coaching them along the way  Leaders must evaluate task and follower characteristics and adapt leadership style to these  The theory suggests which style is most appropriate for specific characteristics Northouse – Leadership: Theory and Practice, Eighth Edition © 2019 SAGE Publishing, Inc. Path–Goal Theory Approach Focus  Path–goal theory is a complex but also pragmatic approach  Leaders should choose a leadership style that best fits the needs of followers and their work Overall Scope  Path–goal theory provides a set of assumptions about how different leadership styles will interact with follower characteristics and the work situation to affect employee motivation Northouse – Leadership: Theory and Practice, Eighth Edition © 2019 SAGE Publishing, Inc. Northouse – Leadership: Theory and Practice, Eighth Edition © 2019 SAGE Publishing, Inc. Strengths  Useful theoretical framework . Path–goal theory is a useful theoretical framework for understanding how various leadership behaviors affect the satisfaction of followers and their work performance.

 Integrates motivation . Path–goal theory attempts to integrate the motivation principles of expectancy theory into a theory of leadership.

 Practical model . Path–goal theory provides a practical model that underscores and highlights the important ways leaders help followers.

Northouse – Leadership: Theory and Practice, Eighth Edition © 2019 SAGE Publishing, Inc. Criticisms (1 of 2)  Interpreting the meaning of the theory can be confusing because it is so complex and incorporates so many different aspects of leadership; consequently, it is difficult to implement.

 Empirical research studies have demonstrated only partial support for path–goal theory.

 Theory doesn’t account for gender differences in how leadership is enacted and perceived.

 Theory assumes leaders possess the advanced communication skills necessary to interact with followers in all given situations.

Northouse – Leadership: Theory and Practice, Eighth Edition © 2019 SAGE Publishing, Inc. Criticisms (2 of 2)  The theory fails to adequately explain the relationship between leadership behavior and worker motivation.

 The path–goal theory approach treats leadership as a one-way event in which the leader affects the follower .

 Informs leaders about when to be directive, supportive, participative, or achievement oriented.

 The principles of PGT can be employed by leaders at all organizational levels and for all types of tasks.