My job puts me in a position of leadership. I run my own business working as a professional horseback rider. I train horses, but more importantly in terms of leadership theory, I teach people. Due to the nature of my business and the student/coach dynamic in general, looking at my business model through the lens of path-goal leadership is useful for reflection. Path-goal theory splits a leadership situation into 3 categories; the leader’s behavior, the follower’s characteristics and the task characteristics of the situation. By examining these 3 categories through the lens of path-goal leadership, I can determine how to be the most effective coach and leader for my students.
Path-goal theory is “designed to explain how leaders can help followers along the path to their goals by selecting specific behaviors that are best suited to followers’ needs and to the situation in which followers are working” (Northouse, 2016, p. 116). For this reason, path-goal theory is especially well suited to analyzing coach-student relationships. The coach is the leader, who is in charge of designing a path for the student to travel to reach their goals. The job of the coach is to help the students along the path, either by removing obstacles that are in the path or by helping the students learn how to surmount them. Path-goal leadership outlines four different behaviors leaders can engage in. The leader can show one or all of these behaviors at any given time (PSU WC, 2020, L.6). Unlike with trait theory, leaders in path-goal theory can change and adapt their style/behavior based on changing situations and follower needs (PSU WC, 2020, L.6).
The four leadership behaviors under path-goal theory are directive leadership, supportive leadership, participative leadership and achievement-oriented leadership (Northouse, 2016, p.117). I have found that, in different situations, all four styles of leadership are useful. Directive leadership is behavior that sets a structure for the followers, shows them how to complete a task and sets standards (PSU WC, 2020, L.6). I have found this style of leadership is often helpful for students. Every day when I go into a lesson, I have a plan for what we are going to work on. In an effort to help my students be as successful as possible with their horses, I set schedules for what they are working on when I am not there, manage the horse’s vet and nutritional care, direct the course of the horse’s training, etc. I have found this directing and attention to detail to be necessary. Without this structure for the student to operate in, things are often not organized enough to make any real progress. Supportive leadership is behavior that tries to make the student feel supported, respected and cared for (PSU WC, 2020, L.6). I have found this to be a very important leadership behavior to include in interactions with students as well. Once directive leadership behaviors have set the boundaries and set up a path towards success, supportive leadership helps the students move down the path towards their goals. There are always obstacles on the path and having a supportive leader at their side helps students make it past obstacles and continue towards their goals instead of getting stuck. Participative leadership is behavior that includes followers in the decision-making process (PSU WC, 2020, L.6). This style of leadership pairs well with directive leadership in my business. One of my favorite sayings about teaching is that the goal of a teacher is to work themselves out of a job. I want to teach my students everything I know, so that there comes a time when I have nothing left to teach them. Participative leadership is involved with this. At the beginning, when I am working with young riders or people new to my training program, I tend to be more directive in my approach. However, I want my students to learn how to ride and take care of their horses themselves, not just learn how to listen to me. As they become more experienced riders, if they ask me what to do when they are having a problem, I ask them what they think they should do. I then walk them through my thinking, so that they are able to start to learn how to think on their own. Participative leadership is the most important type of leadership in my business in terms of helping my students become good riders, instead of just being good students. Finally, I also use achievement-oriented leadership in my business. Achievement-oriented leadership challenges followers to work towards high levels of achievement and requires the leader to show confidence in their followers (PSU WC, 2020, L.6). When my students are ready for a challenge, I encourage them to set their sights high. However, along with this, it is my job as a coach to be there to support them once they have set those goals and to not put them up to challenges I don’t think they are capable of overcoming.
Examining follower variables is a very important part of path-goal theory. “Follower characteristics determine how a leader’s behavior is interpreted by followers in a given work context” (Northouse, 2016, p.118). There are four follower characteristics that path-goal theory says that we need to examine; the need for affiliation, the preference for structure, the desire for control and the follower’s perceptions of their abilities (Northouse, 2016, p.119). Each of my students has different characteristics. Because of this, my relationship with each of them is different. I have students ranging in age from 6 years old to students in their late 60’s, early 70’s. That age difference affects each of the follower variables for each person. As a coach/leader, it is my responsibility to try to consciously examine the differences in characteristics my followers have and make sure that I am approaching them in a way that is conductive for their learning. I work with all of my client in a one-on-one setting, so I need to make sure I am taking advantage of the fact that the structure of my business allows me to approach each client with specifically what they need.
In addition to leader behaviors and follower characteristics, path-goal theory recognizes the importance of task characteristics in leadership success. “Path-goal theory emphasizes the relationship between the leader’s style and the characteristics of the followers and the organizational setting” (Northouse, 2016, p.115). For example, in my business, one of the most important factors in a student’s success, if not the most important factor, is the horse they are paired with. With the wrong horse, the student is going to be unable to achieve their goals and could even be placed in a dangerous situation. This partnership between horse and rider is an element of the situation that is outside the direct control of the leader and the student, and yet is one of the most impactful factors in the success of a student. There are three components of task characteristics in path-goal theory; “the design of the follower’s task, the formal authority system of the organization, and the primary work group of followers” (Northouse, 2016, p.119). These task characteristics affect what leadership style a leader/coach should use as much as the characteristics of the followers themselves. By clearly spelling out goals and creating a clear structure the follower can operate within on their path to their goal, the leader creates a design for the follower’s task that sets them up for success.
Path-goal theory helps me examine the relationship between me and my followers (as coach and students) in my business. Through examining the leadership behaviors that I can utilize, the follower characteristics my students display and the task characteristics that affect both my students and I, path-goal theory gives me a helpful framework to evaluate myself as a leader and what I can be doing to be more effective in helping my students successfully make their way down the path to their goals.
References
Northouse, P. G. (2016). Leadership; Theory and Practice. Sage Publications.
Pennsylvania State University World Campus (2020). PSYCH 485 Lesson 6: Contingency and Path-Goal Theories. Retrieved from:https://psu.instructure.com/courses/2015147/modules/items/29089181.
