Exploring Path-Goal Theory and Leader-Member Exchange in the Context of Supportive Leadership/89jf

Posted: February 3rd, 2025

Exploring Path-Goal Theory and Leader-Member Exchange in the Context of Supportive Leadership

After reading chapters six and seven of Northouse’s book, I think that his Path-Goal Theory’s emphasis on leadership behaviors and the Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) Theory’s focus on the quality of relationships between leader and subordinate to be fascinating. These theories offer valuable insights into how leaders can effectively motivate their teams. Both theories provide avenues for leaders to go down in order to motivate employees to do a task or job. Understanding these pathways is crucial for creating a productive and engaged workforce.

The path goal theory is a method that innately provides supportive leadership and its most important task is “to use a leadership style that best meets followers’ motivational needs (Northouse, 2022, p 132). This adaptability is key to addressing the diverse needs of individuals within a team. In addition, the path-goal theory’s approach to to supportive leadership is interesting because the leadership behaviors dictate the success of the leadership style. Effective leadership, therefore, requires leaders to be mindful of their actions and their impact on others.

In other words, supportive leadership “consists of being friendly and approachable as a leader and includes attending to the well-being and human needs of followers,” illustrating the vital aspect of putting people first to create a friendly and inclusive environment (Northouse, 2022, p. 135). This people-centric approach fosters trust and strengthens the leader-follower bond. which involves showing concern for a follower’s well-being and creating a friendly work environment. This holistic approach to leadership prioritizes the individual’s overall experience and well-being within the workplace.

There has been research conducted to show that supportive leadership can improve employee satisfaction as well as performance by letting your employees know his or her value (Haeckl & Rege, 2023, p. 348). When employees feel valued and appreciated, their motivation and productivity naturally increase. In the Bible, there is a story where Paul encourages believers to “encourage one another and build each other up,” suggesting that everyone should be supporting each other and providing a keen sense of community. This principle of mutual support fosters a sense of belonging and shared purpose.

The aforementioned scripture illustrates the importance of having a community that builds you up, especially on the foundation of Christ (New International Version,1978/2018, 1 Thessalonians 5:11). This spiritual context emphasizes the importance of uplifting and supporting one another, mirroring the principles of supportive leadership. Futhermore, there is a portion of the LMX theory that supports the concept that “positive LMRs (high LMX) reflect the mutual trust and honesty that develops between a leader and member over time,” illustrating the need for a lead to have a high quality leader-member exchange (London, Volmer, & Zyberaj, 2023, p. 275). Building strong, trusting relationships is essential for effective leadership and team success.

The Bible provides many examples of high and/or low quality leader-member exchanges. Examining these examples can provide valuable lessons for contemporary leaders. For example, King Solomon is described to be a leader, who sought God for wisdom rather than power; his leadership approach supports the kings who exemplified or failed to embody supportive leadership traits. This prioritization of wisdom over power demonstrates a commitment to serving others effectively. King Solomon is a leader who seeks God for widsom in order to lead his people appropriately.. This reliance on divine guidance highlights the importance of seeking wisdom and discernment in leadership. His approach aligns with path-goal theory by illustrating how knowledge can serve both other people and himself (Northouse, 2022, p. 24-25). This demonstrates a practical application of wisdom in achieving positive outcomes for both individuals and the community.

In conclusion, both Path-Goal Theory’s supportive leadership style and LMX Theory’s focus on relationship quality are vital for leadership practice today. By prioritizing supportive behaviors and fostering strong leader-member relationships, leaders can create a motivated, engaged, and high-performing workforce.