Path-Goal Theory of Leadership

Abstract

Robert J. House’s 1971 path-goal theory of leadership extended the work of Martin G. Evans and used expectancy theory to describe the interactions between leaders and their followers to answer the question: “How do leaders motivate followers?” The theory is considered a classic in the field of organizational behavior and the earliest leadership theory that convincingly specified multiple leader behaviors (Jermier 1996). The theory is leader centric and focuses on the influence leader behavior has on follower performance and satisfaction. Initially, the theory emphasized the leader’s individualization of behavior choices to meet the capabilities and needs of each subordinate. However, the theory’s complexity and absence of specific measures for empirical testing are often cited as research challenges. In 1996, House, in response to the methodical issues and his belief that all theories change, reformulated the theory to include groups within the workplace and value-based leadership. Support for the application of path-goal theory through the use of models to guide the leader’s choice of behaviors was evident in the late 1980s. Manager and leader as well as follower, subordinate, and employee are used interchangeably in the path-goal leadership theory literature.