Path-Goal Theory

John Dandoy - Azusa Pacific University

LRDS - 501
July 12,2017
Summary / Description of Path-Goal Theory
The stated goal of this leadership theory is to enhance follower
performance and follower satisfaction by focusing on follower motivation
(Northouse, p. 271).
An effective leader has to attend to the needs of followers. The leader
should help followers to define their goals and the paths they want to take in
reaching those goals. When obstacles arise, the leader needs to help
followers confront them. This may mean helping the follower around the
obstacle, or it may mean removing the obstacle. The leaders job is to help
followers reach their goals by directing, guiding, and coaching them along
the way (Northouse, p. 286).
Summary and Description Continued
Path-goal theory relies heavily on expectancy theory:
Nahavandi (2015) described expectancy theory as, a motivational theory that holds that
people will be motivated when they expect that their efforts will result in desired outcomes
(p.147).
Expectancy theory also hold that subordinates must feel that if they exert effort, that there is
a presumption that the effort will lead to a high level of performance, and that the high level
of performance will lead to predetermined outcomes. Lastly, there must be value in their
outcome in order for the subordinate to be motivated.
Task Characteristics
Task characteristics may call for leadership involvement:

Leadership may create structure to unclear tasks.

Leadership can provide support to maintain motivation in highly repetitive
tasks.
Where formal authority is weak leaders may become a tool to make rules
and work requirements clear.
Leadership may be needed to build cohesiveness and role responsibility in
organizations where group norms are weak or non-supportive.
Followers: Locus of Control
Internal Locus of Control:

the follower believes that they are in charge of the events that occur in their
life.
Followers Respond to Participative leadership behaviors. These behaviors allow the follower
to feel in charge of their work by allowing them to be an integral part of the decision making
process.

External Locus of Control:

The follower believes that the events in their life occur by chance, fate, or
outside forces.
Followers respond to Directive leadership behaviors, as these behaviors miror their belive
that their fate is controlled by outside forces.
Leadership Behaviors, Follower and Task Characteristics
Directive Leadership:

Provides a clear set of rules, procedures and deadlines for followers.

Provide a sense of guidance and psychological structure for followers.

Best Utilized:

Follower Characteristics Task Characteristics

Dogmatic Ambiguous
Authoritarian Unclear
Complex
Leadership Behaviors, Follower and Task Characteristics
Supportive Leadership:

Provide a friendly supportive environment.

Treat followers with respect and as equals.
Supportive leadership offers a sense of human touch for followers engaged in mundane,
mechanized activity (Northouse, p.285)

Best Utilized:

Follower Characteristics Task Characteristics

Unsatisfied Repetitive
Need affiliation Unchallenging
Need human touch Mundane
Leadership Behaviors, Follower and Task Characteristics
Participative Leadership:

Consultative leadership approach.

Engaging followers, hearing their suggestions and incorporating them in the
decision making process.
Provides follower involvement

Best Utilized:
Follower Characteristics Task Characteristics

Autonomous Ambiguous
Need for control Unclear
Need for clarity Unstructured
Leadership Behaviors, Follower and Task Characteristics
Achievement Leadership:

Leaders challenge their followers beyond what the follower believes is

possible.
Leaders demonstrate a high degree of confidence that their followers will be
successful.
Provides challenges with the expectation of results

Best Utilized:

Follower Characteristics Task Characteristics

High expectations Ambiguous

Need to excel Challenging Complex
Media Presentation
The surprising truth about what
motivates us
Strengths
Path-goal theory attempts to meld together the motivation principles of
expectancy theory and a Leadership theory. As a leader goal-path theory forces
one to ask questions about the follower:

How can I motivate followers to feel that they have the ability to do the work?

How can I help them feel that if they successfully do their work, they will be
rewarded?

What can I do to improve the payoffs that followers expect from their work?

(Northouse, p. 288)
Weaknesses
Path-goal theory is extremely broad.
Path-goal theory encompasses a number of different aspects of leadership.
The theory is ambiguous and difficult to utilize with trying to improve
leadership process in an organization.
Application of Path-Goal Theory
Northouse (2016) suggests:

The theory suggests that leaders should be directive when tasks are
complex, and the leader should give support when tasks are dull (p. 292).
Similarly, it suggests that leaders should be participative when followers
need control and that leaders should be achievement oriented when
followers need to excel (p.292).
Set clearly defined goals with and for followers.
Provide continual reinforcement that there is progress being made by the
follower.
Assignments
Read the section of Northouse Path-goal theory on leadership behaviors. Reflect
on how you as a leader and how leaders you know apply each of the leadership
styles.
Citation
Northouse, P.G. (2016). Leadership: Theory and Practice (7th ed.). Los Angeles:
Sage.

Nahavandi, A., Denhardt, R.B., Denhardt, J.V., & Aristigueta, M.P. (2015).
Organizational Behavior. Thousand Oaks, Ca: Sage Pubns

Vroom, V. H. (1964). Work and motivation. New York: McGraw Hill.