Platero, Ella Jane D.

| IV- BS Business Administration | BA 198 WFU ASSIGNMENT #5

Be A Leader Who Adjusts The Sails

When I was in third grade, my parents promised to give me a gaming console if I am part
of the class' honors list. I felt so motivated at that time and I really wanted to achieve my goal.
Little did I know that they were performing the principles of expectancy theory wherein my
parents think that I will be motivated if they let me feel that I am capable of achieving the honors
by making me believe that my efforts will lead to the goal and I will have a reward for my
accomplished work. As mentioned by Northouse (2016), the path-goal theory’s motivation is
conceptualized from the perspective of the expectancy theory and it attempts to integrate the
motivation principles of expectancy theory into a leadership theory but the path-goal theory is
more complex as it has different components.
Basically, the path-goal theory explains how leaders can help their followers along the
path in achieving their goals by selecting a specific leadership style that best suits the followers’
needs. This approach identified four leadership behaviors: (1) directive leadership, (2)
supportive leadership, (3) participative leadership, and (4) achievement-oriented leadership.
First, the theory suggests that for dogmatic, assertive, and authoritarian followers, the
task demands are ambiguous and unclear, and thus, a directive leadership style is
recommended. This leadership style sets off the work by providing guidance and psychological
structure to the followers. Second, for followers that are uncontented and unsatisfied, have a
constant need for affiliation and human touch. Their task demands are repetitive, unchallenging,
and dull which now requires a supportive leadership style. This style provides a sense of human
touch for followers and provides what is missing by looking after the followers who are engaged
in dull and repetitive tasks. Third, followers who are autonomous and have a constant need for
control and clarity have task demands that are ambiguous and unstructured, requiring a
participative leadership style. This style can help followers by giving greater clarity as to how
paths can lead to certain goals and also provides involvement for these followers. Lastly, for
followers who have high expectations and a constant need to excel, their task demands are also
ambiguous, complicated, and challenging, thus, the achievement-oriented leadership style is
recommended. This leadership style provides challenges for the followers and raises their
confidence and motivation in achieving their goals. Furthermore, in 1996, the House published a
reformulated path-goal theory which now extends up to eight leadership styles. The styles
added were: (5) work facilitation, (6) group-oriented decision process, (7) work-group
presentation and networking, and (8) value-based leadership behavior (Northouse, 2016).
More follower characteristics were specified such as their desire for control. Followers
who believe that they are responsible and in charge of the events that happen in their life are
followers with an internal locus of control. This type of follower needs a participative leadership
style which allows them to feel that they are in charge of their work and an integral part of the
decision-making process. On the other hand, followers who believe in chances, destiny, fate, or
in any external forces that they think determine life events are followers with an external locus of
control. This type of follower needs a directive leadership style to guide them and parallel their
feelings that external forces control circumstances. Moreover, as their competence and
perception of their abilities increase, their need for a directive leadership style decreases since it
becomes controlling when followers feel that they are competent in completing their own work
(Northouse, 2016).
The path in achieving the goals and success is really bumpy and it is inevitable to face
obstacles along the way but I think what really matters is how you work as a team and how
willing is the leader to listen and adjust to his or her teammates or how effective a leader is. I
would like to end this by quoting John Maxwell, a famous American author, and speaker, “​The
pessimist complains about the wind. The optimists expect it to change. The leader adjusts the
sails.”