Leadership_TheoryandPracticeChapter6.pdf

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Chapter 6 Path-Goal Theory
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Path–Goal Leadership Questionnaire

Instructions: This questionnaire contains questions about different styles of path–goal
leadership. Indicate how often each statement is true of your own behavior.

Key: 1 = Never 2 = Hardly ever 3 = Seldom 4 = Occasionally 5 = Often 6 = Usually 7
= Always

StatementsStatements NeverNever
HardlyHardly
everever SeldomSeldom OccasionallyOccasionally OftenOften UsuallyUsually AlwaysAlways

1. I let
followers
know what is
expected of
them.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

2. I maintain
a friendly
working
relationship
with followers.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

3. I consult
with followers
when facing
a problem.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

4. I listen
receptively to
followers’
ideas and
suggestions.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

5. I inform
followers

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

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about what
needs to be
done and
how it needs
to be done.

6. I let
followers
know that I
expect them
to perform at
their highest
level.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

7. I act
without
consulting my
followers.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

8. I do little
things to
make it
pleasant to
be a member
of the group.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

9. I ask
followers to
follow
standard
rules and
regulations.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

10. I set goals
for followers’
performance
that are quite
challenging.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

11. I say
things that
hurt followers’
personal
feelings.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

12. I ask for
suggestions

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

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from followers
concerning
how to carry
out
assignments.

13. I
encourage
continual
improvement
in followers’
performance.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

14. I explain
the level of
performance
that is
expected of
followers.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

15. I help
followers
overcome
problems that
stop them
from carrying
out their
tasks.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

16. I show
that I have
doubts about
followers’
ability to
meet most
objectives

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

17. I ask
followers for
suggestions
on what
assignments
should be
made.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

18. I give 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

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SCORING

1. Reverse the scores for Items 7, 11, 16, and 18.

2. Directive style: Sum of scores on Items 1, 5, 9, 14, and 18.

3. Supportive style: Sum of scores on Items 2, 8, 11, 15, and 20.

4. Participative style: Sum of scores on Items 3, 4, 7, 12, and 17.

5. Achievement-oriented style: Sum of scores on Items 6, 10, 13, 16, and 19.

Total scores:

Directive style: 2626

Supportive style: 2727

Participative style: 3030

vague
explanations
of what is
expected of
followers on
the job.

19. I
consistently
set
challenging
goals for
followers to
attain.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

20. I behave
in a manner
that is
thoughtful of
followers’
personal
needs.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

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Achievement-oriented style: 2222

Scoring Interpretation

Directive style: A common score is 23, scores above 28 are considered high,
and scores below 18 are considered low.
Supportive style: A common score is 28, scores above 33 are considered high,
and scores below 23 are considered low.
Participative style: A common score is 21, scores above 26 are considered
high, and scores below 16 are considered low.
Achievement-oriented style: A common score is 19, scores above 24 are
considered high, and scores below 14 are considered low.

The scores you received on the Path–Goal Leadership Questionnaire provide
information about which styles of leadership you use most often and which you use
less often. In addition, you can use these scores to assess your use of each style
relative to your use of the other styles.

The Path–Goal Leadership Questionnaire measures how frequently you use each of
the four main leadership styles (i.e., directive, supportive, participative, and
achievement-oriented behavior). Your scores on the questionnaire help you assess
your strongest and weakest behaviors and your use of each behavior relative to the
other styles.

Directive Style Common Score (18–28)

A common score indicates you use the directive behavior in moderation. Effective
leaders exhibit any or all leader behaviors with different followers under different
situations. The leader’s main responsibility is to clarify the paths to the goals and to
remove or help followers navigate the obstacles to these goals, using the behavior
best suited to the situation. To strengthen your directive leadership behavior, consider
taking the following actions:

Reflect on how you use directive behavior. Are you using it in the appropriate
circumstances and with the right people? How can you tell? Consider a
conversation with a close associate you trust who can provide honest
feedback on your directive behavior.

Suggestions for Improving Your LeadershipSuggestions for Improving Your Leadership

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Strengthen your confidence in using the directive behavior to identify
upcoming projects in which your use of this behavior would be most effective.
Before embarking on a new project, consider the task requirements and if
another leadership behavior might be better suited for it; don’t automatically
assume that directive leader behavior is correct in most ambiguous situations.
Distinguish which of your followers respond most favorably to your use of
directive leader behavior.

Supportive Style Common Score (23–33)

Your score indicates you use supportive leader behavior moderation. Effective
leaders exhibit any or all leader behaviors with different followers under different work
conditions. The leader’s main responsibility is to clarify the paths to the goals and to
remove or help followers navigate the obstacles to the goals, using the leader
behavior best suited to the situation. To strengthen your leadership development,
consider taking the following actions:

Reflect on a time when you used supportive leader behavior. Why did you use
supportive leader behavior and what was the result? Could you have
achieved better results with a different style?
Strengthen your confidence in using supportive leader behavior by identifying
upcoming projects in which your use of this style would be most effective.
Volunteer to lead these projects to further your development of this style.
Before embarking on a new project, consider the task or relationship
requirements and what other leader behavior might be better suited for this
project; don’t automatically use your default leadership style.
Determine which of your followers respond most favorably to your use of a
supportive style. Reflect on why they respond to supportive leader behavior
(are they unsure of what’s expected or still developing their skill set?) and
apply your insights to future leadership challenges.

Participative Style High Score (27 and above)

Your score on participative leadership style indicates that you use this leader behavior
frequently. Participative leadership allows followers to be involved in making
decisions. It best suits autonomous followers who need little supervision, enjoy
controlling their own work, and value clear directions and rules. This leader behavior is
best in situations where job tasks are ambiguous or unstructured and rules are less
clear. If these are the conditions in which you often work, then the participative style is

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a good fit because it motivates followers to step up, establish the necessary structures
to accomplish goals, take ownership, and reap the rewards of their work.

If these are not the conditions in which you typically work, consider other leader
behaviors that would better fit the subordinate characteristics or task characteristics
of your group or organization. Path–goal theory contends that leaders should be able
to use all the leader behaviors and adapt their styles depending on the needs of the
situation. To strengthen your participative leader behaviors, consider taking the
following actions:

Reflect on your use of the participative style. How effective do you think you
are when using this style? How can you tell? If you are not sure, solicit input
from a close associate who can observe your behavior and will provide
honest, accurate observations.
Practice being more participative in determining what job training, the
amount of supervision, or how you evaluation of job performance with those
you lead. Allowing those you lead participate in these important functions
can increase you participative leader behaviors.
For followers who have a higher need for affiliation and appreciate more
social interaction with you and their peers, focus on applying more
participative leader behaviors to further increase relationships and create a
greater sense of ownership.

Achievement-Oriented Common Score (14–24)

A common score indicates you use the achievement-oriented leader behavior in
moderation. Effective leaders exhibit any or all styles of leadership with different
followers in different situations. The leader’s main responsibility is to clarify the paths to
goals and to remove or help followers navigate the obstacles to these goals, using
the style best suited to the situation. Challenging others is an effective leader
behavior for followers who strive for perfection or who are competitive. To strengthen
your achievement-oriented leader behavior, consider taking the following actions:

Strengthen your confidence in using the achievement-oriented style by
identifying upcoming projects in which your use of this style would be most
effective and then employ it for those projects.
Reflect on the last time you used an achievement-oriented leader-behavior.
How effective was your use of this style and why? What situations would an
achievement style work best in the future?
Distinguish which of your followers respond most favorably to your use of an
achievement-oriented style. Reflect on why these followers respond to a

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challenge to learn when to use this leader behavior in future leadership
situations.
Reflect on specific ways you could set challenging performance goals for
your followers.

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