Week 5 Discussion 1: Your Initial Discussion Thread I 545752
Week 5 Discussion 1your Initial Discussion Thread Is Due On Day 3 T
Based on your responses to the 13.2 Path-Goal Styles Questionnaire, identify your path-goal styles of leadership. Explain how your use of each path-goal style relates to other styles of leadership.
Review several of your peers’ posts and identify the leadership style that you can relate to. Respond to at least two of your peers and recommend path-goal styles of leadership to extend their thinking. Challenge your peers by asking a question that may cause them to reevaluate their choice of path-goal leadership styles.
Paper For Above instruction
Leadership is a dynamic and multifaceted aspect of organizational success. Among the various leadership theories, the Path-Goal Theory stands out as a practical and adaptable model that emphasizes how leaders motivate followers to achieve goals by clarifying paths and removing obstacles. This paper explores my personal leadership style based on the 13.2 Path-Goal Styles Questionnaire, discusses how these styles relate to other leadership styles, and reflects on peer interactions to deepen understanding of effective leadership strategies.
Upon completing the Path-Goal Styles Questionnaire, I identified that my predominant leadership style is the Directive style, characterized by providing clear guidance, setting expectations, and establishing well-defined procedures. I also exhibit elements of the Supportive style, demonstrated through empathetic engagement and concern for team members’ well-being. Additionally, I occasionally adopt the Participative style, involving team members in decision-making processes. Understanding these styles helps me recognize how I motivate and influence team members to reach their objectives effectively.
The Directive style aligns closely with transactional leadership principles, where clarity, structure, and goal orientation are paramount. It facilitates task completion by reducing ambiguity, fostering a sense of security among followers. Conversely, the Supportive style resonates with transformational leadership aspects, emphasizing emotional support, trust, and relationship-building. The Participative style bridges towards shared leadership models, promoting engagement and collective problem-solving. Integrating these styles provides a flexible leadership approach adaptable to varied situations, enhancing team performance and satisfaction.
In relation to other leadership approaches, the Path-Goal Theory’s emphasis on adapting behavior based on follower and task needs complements transformational, transactional, and servant leadership models. For example, the Directive style echoes transactional principles by focusing on task clarity, while Supportive behaviors foster trust similar to servant leadership. Participative strategies align with the participative decision-making found in transformational leadership. Recognizing these overlaps allows leaders to tailor their style to organizational context and individual team members, promoting more effective leadership outcomes.
Evaluating interactions with peers’ posts reveals a spectrum of leadership styles and perspectives. Some peers lean heavily on transformational qualities, emphasizing vision and inspiration, while others focus on authoritative styles. When responding, I recommend integrating the Path-Goal Styles, such as suggesting peers consider when to utilize supportive or participative approaches based on their followers’ readiness and task complexity. For instance, if a peer leans toward an authoritative style, I might propose incorporating more supportive elements to foster trust and morale, especially during challenging times.
Challenging peers to reevaluate their leadership choices involves prompting reflection on situational effectiveness. I might ask: “Have you considered how your current leadership style adapts to different team dynamics and task demands? How might incorporating a supportive or participative style enhance your effectiveness in diverse situations?” This encourages reflection on flexibility and the importance of blending styles to meet followers’ developmental levels and task requirements.
In conclusion, understanding personal leadership styles through tools like the Path-Goal Styles Questionnaire enhances self-awareness and promotes adaptive leadership. Integrating insights from peer discussions and challenging assumptions fosters continuous growth and development as an effective leader capable of motivating diverse teams across various organizational contexts. As leadership theories evolve, maintaining flexibility and openness to different approaches remains essential for sustainable success.
References
- House, R. J. (1971). A path goal theory of leader effectiveness. Administrative Science Quarterly, 16(3), 321-339.
- Northouse, P. G. (2021). Leadership: Theory and Practice (8th ed.). Sage Publications.
- Evans, M. G. (1970). The effects of supervisor behavior on worker fatigue. Journal of Applied Psychology, 54(4), 409–414.
- Yukl, G. A. (2013). Leadership in Organizations (8th ed.). Pearson.
- Vroom, V. H., & Yetton, P. W. (1973). Leadership and Decision-Making. University of Pittsburgh Press.
- Bass, B. M., & Bass, R. (2008). The Bass Handbook of Leadership: Theory, Research, and Managerial Applications (4th ed.). Free Press.
- Avolio, B. J., & Bass, B. M. (2004). Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire Manual. Mind Garden.
- Giltinane, C. L. (2013). Leadership styles and theories. Nursing Standard, 27(41), 35-39.
- Schriesheim, C. A., & Kerr, S. (1977). Path-Goal leadership theory: The impact of supportive, directive, participative, and achievement-oriented leadership on follower satisfaction and performance. Journal of Applied Psychology, 62(4), 392–399.
- Yukl, G. (2012). Effective Leadership Behavior: What We Know and What We Still Need to Learn. The Leadership Quarterly, 23(1), 1-24.