Purpose: This exercise is designed to help students learn about the different path–goal leadership styles and when to apply each style.
Path-goal leadership theory is a contingency theory of leadership which states that a leader’s behaviour is motivational to the degree that: 1). it makes subordinates rewards contingent on effective performance, and 2). it provides the coaching, guidance and support that are necessary for effective performance. The model specifically highlights four leadership styles (i.e., directive, supportive, participative, and achievement-oriented and several contingency factors leading to leader effectiveness. The model contends that effective leaders are capable of selecting the most appropriate behavioural style(s) for each situation. Leaders might simultaneously use two or more styles.
As a contingency theory, path-goal theory states that each of the four leadership styles will be effective in some situations but not in others. The path-goal leadership model specifies two sets of situational variables that moderate the relationship between a leader’s style and effectiveness: 1). Employee characteristics, and 2). Characteristics of the employee’s work environment.
Instructions:
Step 1: On your own write down two incidents in which someone was an effective leader for you. The leader can be from work, a sport team, a student group, or any other setting where leadership may emerge.
Each incident should state the actual behaviours that the leader used (e.g., My boss sat down with me and we agreed on specific targets and deadlines, then he said several times over the next few weeks that I was capable of reaching the goals).
| Incident 1
|
| Incident 2
|
Step 2: In small groups, answer the following questions for each incident:
Writing a Similar Assignment?
Get a Scholar-Written Paper Matched to Your Brief
Every order is handled by a degree-holding expert in your subject — written to your exact rubric, fully original, and delivered ahead of your deadline.
Start My Order| Which path-goal theory leadership style(s) – directive, supportive, participative or achievement oriented – did the leader apply in the incident?
|
Identify conditions that made this leadership style(s) appropriate in this situation. Your team should list the contingency factors clearly and, where possible, connect them to the contingencies described in path goal theory. | |
| Incident 1
|
||
| Incident 2
|
||
| Incident 3
|
||
| Incident 4
|
||
| Incident 5
|
||
| Incident 6
Stuck on Your Assignment? Cola Papers Experts Are Ready Right NowJoin thousands of students who submit confidently. Human-written, plagiarism-checked, and formatted to your institution's exact standards.
Order My Custom Paper
Use code BISHOPS for 25% off
|
Each team will describe to the rest of the class the most interesting incident, as well as the team’s analysis of the incident
Weekly Reflection:
We recommend that you do weekly reflective journal entries, but you are not required to submit these. Write one to two paragraphs each week reflecting on the tutorial learning activities. We suggest you use the Describe, Interpret, and Outcome process for your weekly reflections.
| My reflection
|
|
| Description:
brief overview of the tutorial task you are focusing on
|
|
| Interpretation/Reflection:
Reflect on the tutorial task. Discuss how you reacted to the task and whether your reaction was informed by your previous experiences or theories discussed in lectures.
|
|
| Outcome
Conclude with what you have learned from the tutorial task. You will need to reflect not only on WHAT you learnt from the learning activity, but also HOW the process of undertaking the task helped you to consolidate, modify or adapt professional behaviours and HOW this learning will inform YOUR professional practice in the future.
|
Further Readings (optional if you are interested):
Avery, G., & Ryan, J. (2002). Applying situational leadership in Australia. Journal of Management Development, 21(3/4): 242-262.
House, R. J. (1996). Path-goal theory of leadership: Lessons, legacy, and a reformulated theory. The Leadership Quarterly, 7(3), 323-352.
Vecchio, R., P., Justin, J. E., & Pearce, C. L. (2008). The utility of transactional and transformational leadership for predicting performance and satisfaction within a Path-Goal framework. Journal of Occupational and Organiszational Psychology, 81(1): 71-82.
Wofford, J. C., &Liska, L. Z. (1993). Path-Goal theories of leadership: A meta-analysis. Journal of Management, 19(4): 857-876.
Our Key Guarantees
- ✓ 100% Plagiarism-Free
- ✓ On-Time Delivery
- ✓ Student-Friendly Pricing
- ✓ Human-Written Papers
- ✓ Free Revisions (14 days)
- ✓ 24/7 Live Support