Path-Goal Theory in Leadership

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Recommended: What leadership means

Leadership has been studied from a wide range of perspectives and thus it means different things to different people. Some people view leadership as the focus of group processes, some others view it from a personality or skills perspective, to some others leadership is an act or behavior, some school of thought describe leadership in terms of power relationship while some view leadership as a transformational process (Northouse, 2012). Looking at the various definitions of leadership, there are various terms that are important; including the fact that leadership is a process that involves influence and the attainment of a common goal, and usually occurs in the context of a group (Northouse, 2012). The path-goal theory is one of the theories of leadership that emphasizes on the relationship between the style of the leader and the characteristics of the subordinates while taking in to consideration the setting at the work place (Northouse, 2012). The theory describes four different leadership styles; directive or instrumental, supportive, participative and achievement oriented. In the directive style of leadership, the leader guides his subordinates on what is expected of them and leads them on the right path towards achieving a goal (Silverthorne, 2001). In the supportive style the leader acts as a friend, is compassionate and pays attention to the needs of his followers and creates a caring environment for them (Silverthorne, 2001). A participative leader seeks and values the input of his followers at every level of decision making while the achievement oriented leader is task driven, sets high standards for his followers with the confidence that they will be able to achieve these standards (Northouse, 2012). In the path-goal theo...

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...n Pakistan. Journal of College Teaching and Learning. 6, (7), 31-40.
Dixon, M. L. & Hart, L. K. (2010). The impact of path-goal leadership styles on work group effectiveness and turnover intention. Journal of Managerial Issues, 22, (1), 52-69.
Malik, S. H & Hassan, H. (2014). Leadership behavior and acceptance of leaders by subordinates: Application of path goal theory in telecom sector. International Journal of Trade, Economics and Finance. 5, (2), 170-175
Mathieu, J. E. (1990). A test of subordinates’ achievement and affiliation needs as moderators of leader path-goal relationships. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 11, (2), 179-189.
Northhouse, P. G. (2013). Leadership: Theory and Practice. (6th Ed). Washington, DC: Sage.
Silverthorne, C. (2001). A test of the path-goal leadership in Taiwan. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 22, (4), 151-158.

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