House’s Path-Goal Theory

The well-known researcher on leadership, Mr. Robert House, introduced the Path-goal-theory he focused on what the leaders can perform to motivate their subordinates for the achievements of the group and organizational goals.

 The objective of the Path-goal theory, based on the effectiveness of leaders, to achieve the goals through their subordinates with motivational movement:

1. The clarification of the outcomes that the Co-workers are trying to get at the workplace.

2. The subordinates are rewarding for their high performance to get the outcomes, and the attainment of their work goals.

 3. To clarify the subordinates way of leading for the attainment of the work goals.

Path-Goal Theory and Guidelines:

The Path-goal theory introduced the following three guidelines to effective leaders, based on Expectancy theory of motivation:

1. Search out the subordinate's desire outcomes from their jobs and organization, the said outcomes can be the satisfaction level of their salaries, job security, and the schedule of their duties, their interests, and challenging assignments of the jobs. As the manager find out their expected outcomes, they should have the powers of rewarding or punishment, because he can control them through rewarding and withholding their outcomes.

2. As the subordinates showed the tremendous performance, immediately reward them for their performance, it will enhance their capacity, and the interest, for further improvement. This is the way 'to change the status-qua. Otherwise, the usual work will be going on, without positive modification.

3. It is the duty of a manager, to maintain the attainments ways of goals by his subordinate, and also tried to make the smooth rolling of his business of job, to eradicate the hurdles from the way of subordinates, that they can lead, to high performance in his leadership, for the organization's objectives. It will also lead to enhance the way of expression, confidence, and specific capabilities of his subordinates.

The manager doesn't have to tell the duties to his subordinates, as what to do, how to do, but it is to ensure the subordinates well know about their duties, and they are trying to achieve their set goals through their specific capabilities, resources, and the confidence to do, the job on the right way in the organization's interest. It is also to ensure to use their capabilities, confidence, and resources being used for the attainment of the organization's goal efficiently and successfully.

The contingency model of leadership introduced that the leaders have to motivate his subordinates by identification of their specific outcomes, improving their capacity with the help of a rewarding strategy for the top performers and also to clarify their pathway to attain their desire goals in manners that the organization will also lead towards development.

Path-Goal theory and behaviors:

The Path goal theory introduces four kinds of specific behaviors as:

1- The directive behavior' to start the structure including sets the goals, assigned the specific tasks, the instructions for subordinates to complete the task, and take the solid steps to improve the performance continuously.

 2. To adopt the supportive behavior to consider including expressions of concern for subordinates and also to look after their specific interest in the best way.

 3. To adopt the participative behavior' that leads them to an expression of decisions and the matter that influences them, to guarantee their development.

 4. To adopt the achievement-oriented behaviors that motivate the subordinates to perform in the highest way, as setting challenging goals, expectation to meet, and firm belief in their capabilities and capacities.

 • The analysis of the above behaviors is producing the questions, how to use these behaviors as effective methods, it depends upon the specific nature of the subordinates and also the assigned task to be completed.

It would benefit us from the directive behaviors, when the subordinates feeling hardships to achieve their assigned task but would be harmful in the situation, when the subordinates love to do the work in segregation and are competent to do the right.

It would be beneficial to show the supportive behavior, when the subordinates facing the huge stress. 

When the subordinates required the support to take the specific decision, the participative behavior would be very effective.

When the capable subordinates feeling boredness through having very few challenges, they need the motivation, so the achievement-oriented behaviors would fruitful.

Conclusion: 

I am concluding:

1. The managers should have the capability and capacity to judge the needs of the subordinates and also the powers to decide the behavior appropriate for decision making.
2. The Good manager should have the analytical skills to know the need to interference in dealing with the subordinates, otherwise, the inappropriate interference will create a problem for him.
3. The task assignment is the specific skill of a manager to choose an excellent player for a target, otherwise, the work leads to slow performance, because the selection of an appropriate person for the job is very much important for decision making.
4. The motivation of the subordinates plays a very vital role in attainments of goals, so it should the top priority of the manager to motivate them toward their specific job description.
5. The manager should be sharp-minded peoples and also should have the knowledge of the specific job with a certain amount of understanding.
6. The managers should have the passion to deal with hard targets and also can drag the fruits in his directions with the interest of the subordinates, which will motivate the subordinates for compliance on a top-level.
7. The manager should always be soft-spoken, who can be trusted by his subordinates, because the well-learned subordinates will suggest him the best solution based on their specific experiences, otherwise, he will lose the opportunity to learn.
8. The managers should adopt the brainstorming strategies. When he has no solution, and tackled the subordinates as the masterminds, they will show their progress in the issue's solution, which leads to enhance the problem-solving capacity of the manager.
9. The twin-track approach of the manager will lead him to investigate the talent in subordinates, which may be assets for him personally and for the organization.

Muhammad Israr Umar

An NGO worker for the last 17 years

 muhammadisrarumar6@gmail.com