Word Count: Due Today, 6 Hours From Now, No Late Work
400 Word Count This Is Due Today 6 Hours From Now No Late Work Soone
Identify four leadership styles associated with path-goal theory. (Please look further into this, the four leadership styles are directive, supportive, participative, and achievement-oriented.) Please identify all four of these leadership styles.
Explain each style and relate it to styles described in other theories.
Can leaders exhibit more than one style? Serious inquiries only.
Paper For Above instruction
The Path-Goal Theory of Leadership, developed by Robert House in 1971, emphasizes the leader's role in clarifying the path to followers' goals and providing support to enhance motivation and performance. Central to this theory are four distinct leadership styles: directive, supportive, participative, and achievement-oriented. Understanding these styles and their relationships with other leadership theories is essential for comprehensive leadership analysis. Additionally, recognizing whether leaders can exhibit multiple styles concurrently is vital for effective leadership practice.
Directive Leadership Style
The directive leadership style aligns closely with the authoritative style in transformational leadership and the task-oriented approach observed in Ohio State studies. Leaders adopting this style provide clear instructions, establish expectations, and define roles explicitly (House, 1971). This approach is particularly effective in unstructured or ambiguous situations where followers need guidance. It reflects a task-focused approach, ensuring followers understand precisely what is expected of them. Similarly, in transactional leadership, this style correlates with roles emphasizing structure and compliance (Bass & Avolio, 1995). The emphasis on clarity and direction distinguishes directive leadership from other styles, but it can complement participative or supportive styles when appropriately applied.
Supportive Leadership Style
The supportive style, characterized by showing concern for followers’ well-being and creating a friendly work environment, resonates with transformational leadership's emphasis on individualized consideration (Bass & Avolio, 1994). It also echoes the relationship-oriented focus found in the Michigan leadership studies, where fostering supportive interactions boosts morale and motivation (Lewin, Lippitt, & White, 1939). Supportive leaders help alleviate stress and build trust, which enhances follower satisfaction and performance. This style is particularly useful in stressful or monotonous work settings, demonstrating its flexibility and importance within the leadership repertoire.
Participative Leadership Style
The participative style involves engaging followers in decision-making processes, aligning it with democratic leadership paradigms and servant leadership models that prioritize empowering others (Gastil, 1994). It overlaps with behavioral theories emphasizing delegation and participative influence, such as McGregor's Theory Y, which presumes followers are motivated and capable of contributing (McGregor, 1960). Participative leadership encourages buy-in and commitment, fostering a sense of ownership among followers, which can improve performance and innovation.
Achievement-Oriented Leadership Style
The achievement-oriented style sets challenging goals, seeks excellence, and expects followers to perform at their highest levels. This style correlates with transformational leadership's emphasis on inspiring followers toward high standards and personal growth (Bass, 1985). It also aligns with the goal-setting theory, where leaders motivate followers through ambitious objectives (Locke & Latham, 1990). Achievement-oriented leadership is suitable in environments requiring innovation and continuous improvement, emphasizing confidence in followers' capabilities.
Can Leaders Exhibit More Than One Style?
Yes, effective leaders often demonstrate the ability to exhibit multiple styles depending on the context, followers, and task demands. This flexibility is a core principle of transformational and situational leadership theories, which advocate adapting leadership behavior to meet specific needs (Hersey & Blanchard, 1969). For instance, a leader might primarily adopt a supportive style but shift to directive when followers need guidance, or move between participative and achievement-oriented styles based on the situation. This multifaceted approach enhances leadership effectiveness and responsiveness, allowing leaders to foster motivation, trust, and high performance across varied scenarios.
References
- Bass, B. M. (1985). Leadership and performance beyond expectations. Free Press.
- Bass, B. M., & Avolio, B. J. (1994). Improving organizational effectiveness through transformational leadership. Sage Publications.
- Bass, B. M., & Avolio, B. J. (1995). MLQ: Multifactor leadership questionnaire manual. Mind Garden.
- Gastil, J. (1994). A definition and illustration of democratic leadership. Human Relations, 47(8), 953-975.
- Hersey, P., & Blanchard, K. H. (1969). Management of organizational behavior: Utilizing human resources. Prentice-Hall.
- House, R. J. (1971). A path goal theory of leader effectiveness. Administrative Science Quarterly, 16(3), 321-339.
- Lewin, K., Lippitt, R., & White, R. K. (1939). Patterns of aggressive behavior in children. Journal of Social Psychology, 10(2), 339-352.
- Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. (1990). A theory of goal setting & task performance. Prentice-Hall.
- McGregor, D. (1960). The human side of enterprise. McGraw-Hill.