If you have children or have been around the education system for any length of time, you’re likely familiar with the concept of “Helicopter Parents” – the type of parents who hover over their kids’ activities, homework, music or sports practices, and even their relationships to make sure they’re successful and avoiding obstacles. (You might even be aware of the more recent labels that tell a harsher tale: the “Lawnmower Parent” and the “Snowblower Parent”, both of which refer to parents who remove any obstacle, pain, sadness, or difficulty their children might face before it even happens. Yikes.)
Well today, we’re looking at Path-Goal Theory, originally created by Robert House, which asserts that it’s the leader’s responsibility to clear obstacles off of employees’ pathways as they seek to fulfill company goals. (Get it? Path . . . Goal . . . Yes, you’ve got it.) Let’s begin with the positives of this leadership approach, and then we’ll end with a few caveats and cautions about leading this way consistently.
One of the main benefits of leading from a path-goal perspective is that you stay keenly aware of how your followers are doing. How’s their work experience? You know that. What resources do they need access to? You know that as well. Where are the gaps in efficiency? Guess what? You’re on it. It’s a satisfying feeling to know that your leader understands your work, your needs, and how to support you.
A second benefit of House’s theory is that it asks the leader to read the situation before assigning a leadership approach to it. This is good! A true leader has the perception and the interpersonal sensitivity to know which leadership tactic is the right fit for a given situation. Context matters, and Path-Goal theory agrees. Are your employees new? Use a Directive style to show them the ropes and make them comfortable. Are they feeling unmotivated or unheard? Use a Supportive style to let them know you care and give them a chance to clarify their roles. Do their jobs involve repetitive or complex tasks? Use a Participative style and join in the fun for a while – talk about creating a sense of teamwork! Finally, are they feeling held back? These unchallenged workers are waiting for a chance to shine! Use the Achievement-Oriented style and let them fly!
The primary caution when using this leadership approach is to not let yourself remove the beneficial learning that comes from facing obstacles or challenges in the workplace. You don’t want to develop overly dependent followers who fear experimentation and can’t make decisions without you. Use the right style for the context, but the true goal should be to transition your followers toward independence and empowerment. That frees you up to fly your helicopter elsewhere!
Comments