22-08-2013, 02:11 PM
House's Path-Goal Model
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INTRODUCTION
Troubled by the inconsistent findings on leadership, Robert House developed the path-goal model of leadership.
The term "path-goal" refers to how a leader's behavior can influence an employee's perceptions so that the employee perceives a link (or path) between personal satisfaction and the goals of the organization. According to House, leaders must adjust their behavior to compensate for the features which are lacking in a setting that is likely to be satisfactory to the employees. Indeed, this method of increasing employee satisfaction will also improve performance because the links between employee effort, performance, and rewards will become obvious to the employee.
As mentioned, the leader must first determine which environmental factors are lacking in the setting that is likely to be satisfactory to the employee. This is accomplished by analyzing the characteristics of the work environment and the characteristics of the followers. Before discussing these characteristics, let's examine the four behavior styles from which a leader may choose.
Hersey And Blanchard's Situational Leadership Model
In 1969, Paul Hersey and Kenneth Blanchard introduced a model that draws attention to an aspect of leadership we have not yet discussed. This is the maturity level or readiness of the employee. According to these authors, leadership behavior should be adjusted to the maturity level or readiness of the employee, who is known as the "follower."
Follower readiness refers to the employee's willingness and ability to accept responsibility for completing the assigned work.
Criticisms of the theory:
First, the theory requires a leader to be perceptive enough to determine a subordinate’s maturity development level on a task. How to assess the maturity level of an individual is the question
Second, situational leadership, like most contingency theories, is heavily based on the need for style flexibility. Although it is desirable that the leaders are adaptable, there is a strong belief that it is not possible.