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Educational Management

Notes for themselves, low task-low relationship style is more effective. For the immature students who
lack motivation and ability to direct their own work schedule low task-low relationship style (S4)
may be detrimental. In their case, high task-low relationship style (S1) is recommended.
In case of administrator-faculty relationship where faculty members are experienced and responsible
low relationship-low task (S4) style is said to be more appropriate. In this case, decentralized
organization structure and delegation of authority may be desirable. But during the early stages,
with inexperienced faculty or immature faculty high task-low relationship style (S1) may be more
useful.
11.3.9 Path-Goal Theory of Leadership

This theory is just emerging. According to this theory, leaders are effective because of their impact
on subordinates’ motivation, ability to perform effectively and satisfactions. The theory is called
Path-Goal-Theory because its major concern is to explain how the leader influences the subordinates’
perceptions of their work-goals, personal goals and paths to goal attainment. The theory suggests
that a leader’s behaviour is motivating or satisfying for the subordinates to the extent it increases
the probability of their goal-attainment and clarifies the paths to these goals.

Historical Foundations
The theory has its roots in a more general motivational theory, called expectancy of theory motivation.
The expectancy theory of motivation holds that an individual’s attitudes of satisfaction with the
supervisor or job or leader behaviour can be predicted from (i) the degree to which the supervisor
or job or leader behaviour is seen as leading to various outcomes called expectancies, and (ii) the way
these expectancies are evaluated (i.e., valences) by them. Why the leaders behave the way they do
can, thus, be explained on the basis of these expectancies and valences. The theory can also help in
understanding how leader behaviour influences subordinates’ motivation. The theory suggests that
the subordinates are motivated by the leader to the extent that his behaviour influences their
expectancies (goals) and valences (evaluation of goals) and paths to these goals.

General Propositions
There are two propositions underlying this theory. The first one is that leader-behaviour is acceptable
and satisfying to subordinates to the extent they see such behaviour as either an immediate source
of astisfaction or as instrumental to future satisfaction. The second proposition of the theory is that
the leader’s behaviour will be motivational to the extent that (i) it makes satisfaction of subordinate’s
needs contingent on effective performance and (ii) that it complements the environment of
subordinates by providing the coaching guidance, support and rewards necessary for effective
performance. These prepositions suggest that the leader’s strategic functions are to enhance
subordinates’ motivation to perform, satisfaction with the job and acceptance of the leader.

Contingency Factors
The relationship between leader behaviour and subordinates’ satisfaction and motivation to work is
not a straight one. There are (i) personal characteristics of the subordinates such as their perception
of leader’s behaviour and also their perception of their own ability to do the assigned task. Thus, the
acceptability of the leader’s behaviour is determined in part, by the characteristics of the subordinates;
(ii) second is the environment of the subordinates which consists of factors that are important to
their need satisfaction and ability to perform effectively. These environmental factors are (a) the
subordinates’ tasks, (b) the formal authority system of the organization, (c) the primary work group.
Assessment of these environmental factors makes it possible to predict the kind and amount of
influence that specific leader behaviours will have on the motivation of subordinates. Each of these
environmental factors can be both rewarding as well as demotivating.
Leadership Styles
The theory identified the following four leadership styles and suggested the kinds of situations in
which these will be effective or ineffective :

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