We first touched base on the Path-Goal Theory back in January with our brief discussion of leadership theories and approaches. The Path-Goal Theory is one of those approaches to leadership that I found to be quite interesting and worth reading about, however, I never got the chance to educate myself further on the topic. I chose to analyze the Path-Goal Theory and apply it to my father’s career as the CEO of his best friend’s company.
The Path-Goal Theory is an approach to leadership that focuses on the ways in which leaders motivate their subordinates to accomplish a common goal (Introduction to Path-Goal Theory, Lesson 6). The theory says that when employees are consistently motivated to do well and their accomplishments are recognized, they are more likely to have above average attendance rates and performance (Northouse, 2019). In addition to rewarding their employees and encouraging hard work, leaders who utilize the Path-Goal Theory need to also keep in mind the work environment and ensure that their employees have all of the necessary resources to do their assigned tasks with ease (Introduction to Path-Goal Theory, Lesson 6).
Now that we have an idea of what the Path-Goal Theory is in general, it is important to note that the Path-Goal Theory consists of four different components to help guide leaders who fall under this category of leadership (Leader Behaviors, Lesson 6). These four components are leadership behaviors that these same leaders should be utilizing:
1. Directive Leadership
2. Supportive Leadership
3. Participative Leadership
4. Achievement-Oriented Leadership
My father’s leadership style can definitely be considered a product of the Path-Goal Theory. This is because his work ethic and his ability to effectively lead and manage the company he works for all fall under the four components of the Path-Goal Theory. To provide you with some background information, my father is the CEO of his best friend’s land-clearing company. Their business is really an overall jack-of-all-trades because they do many differing tasks. Their main service is clearing land from trees and other greenery to build homes, clean up after a storm, or improve the appearance of personal properties. They have recently started a new contract with Homeland Security’s natural disaster branch, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). This means that during natural disasters (mainly after the storm or flood has ceased), my father’s company is responsible for sending employees to clean up fallen trees and brush from the area. My father spent a few months in Tennessee a few years ago overseeing the clean up after one of the storms they experienced. The company also has a smaller branch of profit that dedicates their time and energy to snow removal. They have done work for large companies such as Amazon and Target, as well as for government offices. Because this job can get a bit stressful and unpredictable, my father has to be sure that his approach to leadership is helpful to both himself and his followers. For this reason, his leadership styles change from situation to situation and from follower to follower.
To ensure that his employees are satisfied with their jobs, he uses directive leadership. This form of leadership categorizes leaders as being authoritative but careful. My father is very good at communicating with his employees and this is very important and is often seen as a positive leadership characteristic by most of his subordinates. My father has a very effective way of telling his employees exactly what he wants to be completed, how he wants the tasks completed, and when those tasks should be completed by. He often sets very clear goal standards for his employees and then expects that they will be mature and independent enough to complete their tasks on their own. This helps his followers feel as if they are being treated like adults and are, therefore, much more likely to have high performance levels.
Although my father is a bit strict when it comes to his communication tactics, he definitely utilizes supportive leadership. As a supportive leader, he has made it clear to his employees that he is still approachable and is always willing to help his employees learn how they can be better on the job. Since the job that they have can be quite unsafe at times, my father believes that taking the time to fully train and help out his employees at any given time is important and is a great way to reduce the number of job-related accidents or injuries.
My father uses participative leadership in many situations when on the job. The type of job that my father has (as CEO of a company!) normally requires leaders to be very strict and authoritative to ensure that the company is being run properly. In my father’s case, he likes to include all of his followers in the decision-making, and the industry that he works in makes this much easier than if he worked for a company like Google, which is important to take into consideration. Nonetheless, my father prioritizes the thoughts and opinions of all his subordinates and is always willing to hear all the sides to every story and every opinion before buying new machinery, making changes to company policies, or even what color to paint the new office’s walls.
Finally, my father enjoys incorporating achievement-oriented leadership into his daily agenda because it allows him to ensure that his employees are putting forth the same consistent effort day-to-day while also making it a priority to motivate and encourage his employees to do well, especially the new members to his team. My father enjoys working closely one-on-one with each of his team members from the moment they step one foot into his office for their first day on the job. This is his way of creating a work-related relationship with each of his employees, making it easier for him to gain their trust and instill in them the skills they will need to do the job correctly. The relationships that my father has created in the workplace gives him the confidence that they will always work to the best of their ability at any given point in time.
In conclusion, my father is an obvious exhibitor of the Path-Goal Leadership Theory. He utilizes all of the components of the theory to guide his leadership role at his company. His consistent use of these four components has helped him grow and expand the company while also making sure that his subordinates approve and are satisfied with their day-to-day requirements. For this reason, his leadership styles change from situation to situation and from follower to follower, making his leadership style a fully-detailed blueprint for the Path-Goal Theory.
Hamel, R. (2021). Lesson 6: Contingency & Path-Goal Theories
Northouse, P.G. (2019). Leadership: Theory and Practice. Los Angeles: Sage Publications.