The Path-Goal Theory and Practical Applications Essay

The Path Goal model is based on pointing out the style of a leader, the behavior trait that fits the employee the best, and the environment of work, so as to achieve a given goal. The aim is to increase the motivation of your employees, satisfaction and empowerment. The outcome would then be higher productivity in the organization. The model is a reminder to the leaders that in order to influence those who follow them, they need to modify their behavior, based on the needs of their followers. They should also support subordinates to clarify the path towards the goals specified and back them up in removing the obstacles that block their achievement of the set goals (Northouse, 2018).
Once a leader understands the environment and the employees, they can adjust their behavior and leadership style. Such a change requires a significant level of self awareness and being flexible. Using the psychometrics of modern day, based on their personality, it is possible to predict the leadership style that a particular leader favors. We can, thus use the feedback to build the requisite flexibility. There are four leader behaviors in the model: Participative, Directive, Achievement and Supportive. The leadership behaviors are anchored on task orientation and relationship factors (Landrum & Dailey, 2012).
It is typical of a Directive Leader to tell followers what they ought to do; how to do it, coordinates work, and also creates their work programs. The style is useful in situations where people do not fully understand what is expected of them when undertaking a given task. On the other hand, the supportive leader embraces relationships. Such a leader seeks to make the work and work environment a pleasant experience. They do so by showing concern for the employees and being approachable and friendly. The style is more effective in situations where tasks are physically and or psychologically challenging (Landrum & Dailey, 2012).
A participative leader likes to consult with employees and seeks to establish a friendly relationship with them. He consults and incorporates the opinions of his employees in his decisions where he deems them fit. The style is most effective in situations where employees are highly competent and enjoy a high level of autonomy. Finally, the Achievement leader sets goals that are challenging for the staff and expects them to give their all. Such a leader also demonstrates confidence in the ability of the employees to accomplish the set tasks and achieve the goals. Professional work environments are best suited for this type of leadership. It is also good in achieving higher sales in business (Landrum & Dailey, 2012).
The various leadership styles affect the work teams differently. Thus, there may be a need for greater support if the employees do not enjoy autonomy or when their task has elements of ambiguity. In case the team does not have the requisite competence, the leader will have to train the employees on task achievement before deployment. If the team members are not friendly to each other, there will be a need to build trust and align them to the task and demonstrate how achieving the task offers mutual benefits (Dixon and Kozloski, 2010). 
It is notable that the path Goal Leadership Theory is anchored on the situational approach styles of leadership and incorporates aspects of expectancy theory to motivation. It seeks to enhance productivity through employee motivation. I will study the practical application of the Path Goal Theory to my current work as a machinist and my previous role as a sales associate for computer sales. Let’s first define leadership in order to lay the basis for its meaning (Bryant, 2018).
The Path Goal Theory is known for its emphasis on the selection of leadership style guided by the character traits of the employee and the task. The motivation of the follower, therefore, depends on the ability of the leader to choose the appropriate leadership style. The theory is made to explain how a leader can help their employees to achieve goals by applying the appropriate leadership styles Bryant, 2018)
The Path Goal leadership style derives its strength from understanding how Participative, Directive, Achievement and Supportive approaches influence the productivity and satisfaction of the employees in an organization (Yang & Lim, 2016).
In addition, the Path Goal Theory includes the Expectancy Theory motivational principles. It also incorporates aspects of internal organizational parameters as laid out in the Contingency Theory. The path Goal Theory is flexible but complex. It is faulted for being counterintuitive. It is also noted as incorporating too many interrelated assumptions that make it hard to apply in practical work environments (Yang & Lim, 2016).
References
Bryant, A. (2018, October 12). The Best Leadership Insights #2 Path-Goal Theory. Retrieved December 14, 2018, from https://www.andrewbryant.global/leadership-insights-path-goal-theory/
Dixon, M. L., &Kozloski, L. (2010). The impact of path-goal leadership styles on work group effectiveness and turnover intention. Journal of Managerial Issues, 22(1), 52–69.
Landrum, N. E., & Dailey, C. M. (2012). Corporate accountability: A path-goal perspective. International Journal of Business Insights & Transformation, 4, 50–62.
Northouse, P. G. (2018). Leadership: Theory and practice (9th ed.). Thousand Oaks: CA: Sage Publications.
Yang, L. C., & Lim, V. (2016). Empirical Investigation into the Path-Goal Leadership Theory in the Central Bank Fraternity: Leadership Styles and Job Satisfaction (No. wp14).