Path Goal Theory Flashcards
(16 cards)
What is path goal theory
- This explores how leaders can motivate followers to achieved set goals and improve their and the organisation’s performance
- A leader has to ensure that there are no obstacles in the employee’s path to achieving the set outcomes
- The leader needs to adapt their leadership behaviour to match the employee’s needs and ensures he/she understand the employee’s motivational process
-Path goal theory suggests the primary functions of a leader are to clarify employees’ path to reward and to increase rewards that employees value
What is the premise of path goal theory?
- Leader must help followers attain goals and reduce roadblocks to success
- Leaders must change behaviours to fit the situation (environmental contingencies and subordinate contingencies)
- Leadership Behaviours, mediated by employee and task characteristics, affect individual subordinate motivation
What is true of leadership behaviours in path-goal theory?
Leader may adopt any or all for different subordinate interaction
What are the leadership behaviours in path goal theory?
- Directive
- Supportive
- Participative
- Achievement-Oriented
What is directive behaviour?
Behaviour directed toward providing psychological structure for subordinates: letting subordinates know what they are expected to do, scheduling and coordinating work, giving specific guidance, and clarifying policies, rules and procedures
What is supportive behaviour?
Behaviour directed toward the satisfaction of subordinates needs and preferences, such as displaying concern for subordinates’ welfare and creating a friendly and psychologically supportive work environment
What is participative behaviour?
Behaviour directed toward encouragement of subordinate influence on decision making and work unity operations: consulting with subordinates and taking their opinions and suggesting into account when making decisions
What is achievement-oreitnetd behaviour?
Behaviour directed toward encouraging performance excellence: setting challenging goals, seeking improvement, emphasising excellence in performance, and showing confidence that subordinates will attain high standards to performance
What are employee contingencies in path goal theory?
- Subordinate characteristics
- Need for affiliation
- Preference for structure
- Desire for control
- Self-perceived level of task ability
What are environmental contingencies in path goal theory?
- Task characteristics
- Nature and design of subordinates task
- Formal authority system of the organisation
What is the general takeaway from path goal theory?
Each leader behaviour is likely to be more suitable for a specific situation - it is the leader’s role to match their own behaviour accordingly
In path goal theory, when are directive leaders most effective?
Best suited for situations where the task is demanding, structures are unclear and subordinates lack experience and self efficacy
In path goal theory, when are supportive leaders most effective?
More effective where the task is tedious, repetitive, dangerous or stressful and subordinates are unsatisfied or frustrated
In path goal theory, when are participative leaders most effective?
- Best suited for subordinates who like to be in control and autonomous and are faced by an ambiguous task and structure
- i.e when subordinates have high levels of maturity (= experience): professionals
In path goal theory, when are achievement-oriented leaders most effective?
Especially welcome by subordinates with ambiguous and complex tasks as it improves their level of self efficacy and expectations to succees
What are the limitation of path goal theory?
- Ambiguous research findings and lack of empirical support
- Complicated relationships among the variables and complex prescriptions limit the theory’s practical application
- It remains questionable whether a leader can perceive the factors in the situation, decide the right leadership style and then use it
