Path-goal theory is a leadership theory developed by Robert House which states that leader’s behavior is contingent upon the satisfaction, motivation, and performance of her or his subordinates; the path-goal theory can also be classified as a form of instrumental leadership (Antonakis, 2014). A leader is a very important person in any given organization; any leadership behavior causes others to act. Respect is a very important leadership behavior; respect does not only benefit the leader but it benefits everyone around them especially the employees. A leader behavior is the best predictor of his leadership influences and is the best determinant of his/her leadership success. One characteristic a leader is people oriented leaders; the people-oriented leaders focuses their behavior on ensuring that the inner needs of the people are satisfied. Therefore, people, oriented leaders seek to motivate their employees; such leaders also focus on the task and the results and aims at achieving them through different means. People-oriented leaders are encouraging, observing, listening, mentoring and coaching. Additionally, task-oriented leaders are also essential in an organization as they focus their behaviors on organizational structure and they like to keep control. For a leader to be able to garner commitment and engagement from employees leaders needs to demonstrate respect as employees prefer respect over things like recognition, feedback or even appreciation.
The path-goal theory centers on the motivation of the subordinates that have a significant influence on the outcome of the task; the path-goal theory defines the role of a leader as the one who defines the goal and lays down the path for the subordinate that facilitates completion of a goal. If the employees or the subordinates find the leadership style satisfying and meeting their expectations, they get motivated towards a goal of leadership. One of the pros of the path-goal theory is that it helps understand how a leader behavior affects subordinates satisfaction and work performance. One con of the path-goal theory is that it fails to explain adequately the relationship between leader behavior and subordinate motivation. Another con of path-goal theory is that it places the majority of the responsibility on the leader.
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Reference
Antonakis, J. (2014). " Instrumental leadership . Measurement and extension of transformational–transactional leadership theory". The Leadership Quarterly.
