Path-Goal Leadership Theory

The Path-Goal Leadership Theory is a theory of supervision. It is concerned with the relationship between the formally appointed supervisor and their subordinate in the day-to-day working environment and how motivation and clear-cut expectations by the supervisor will increase productivity by the subordinates.
Robert J. House developed the theory of Path-Goal Leadership. He believes that leaders should increase the personal rewards their subordinates receive for attaining goals. Further, he believes that leaders should make the path to attaining these goals easier to follow by reducing the roadblocks that may prevent an employee from succeeding. As a result, an employee could be more productive if an effective leader can enhance employee motivation by clarifying the employee’s perception of the goals he/she is to achieve, linking meaningful rewards to the goals and explaining how the goals can be achieved.
In some situations, an employee may lack self-confidence. As a result, th...