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Northouse, Leadership 8e
AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge
48. Your supervisor expresses concern for your well-being when he learns of the
passing of your father. He is using ______.
A. directive behaviors
B. achievement behaviors
C. supportive behaviors
D. participative behaviors
49. Your supervisor is happy with your work and expresses confidence that you will
bring the project in ahead of time and under budget. She is using ______.
A. directive behaviors
B. achievement behaviors
C. supportive behaviors
D. participative behaviors
50. Path-goal theory is ______.
A. descriptive
B. prescriptive
C. leader centered
D. follower centered
51. I am doing a task I do not really understand and wish my leader would clear up my
confusion by telling me the first few steps. According to path-goal theory, which
leadership style would help me the most?
A. directive behaviors
B. achievement behaviors
C. supportive behaviors
D. participative behaviors
52. I am doing a task I find very boring and unchallenging. Which leadership style would
help me the most?
A. directive behaviors
B. participative behaviors
C. supportive behaviors
D. achievement behaviors
53. I am doing a task that is really difficult to understand, and I want to clarify the task
and work out the details myself. Which leadership style would help me the most?
A. directive behaviors
B. participative behaviors
C. supportive behaviors
D. achievement behaviors
54. This challenging new project is exciting and I cannot wait to see how great it is going
to be when I am finished. Which leadership style would help me the most?
A. directive behaviors
B. participative behaviors
C. supportive behaviors
D. achievement behaviors
55. Which of the following is most accurate about research to validate path-goal theory?
A. A great deal of research has examined about directive and supportive leadership.
B. Most studies have examined participative and achievement oriented leadership.
C. Path-goal theory has been repeatedly validated in the academic community.
D. No scientific studies have been conducted on path-goal theory.
56. Despite the critiques, one of the key strengths of path-goal theory is its ______.
A. practical nature
B. basic focus on traits
C. deep explanatory power
D. emphasis on linkages
57. Supportive leadership in path-goal theory is very similar to which concept from the
Behavioral Approach?
A. structure
B. consideration
C. motivation
D. production
58. Followers who need a high level of human interaction need ______.
A. directive leadership
B. participative leadership
C. supportive leadership
D. achievement-oriented leadership
59. Followers who have internal locus of control benefit from ______.
A. directive leadership
B. participative leadership
C. supportive leadership
D. achievement-oriented leadership
60. Followers with the desire to exceed expectations benefit from ______.
A. directive leadership
B. participative leadership
C. supportive leadership
D. achievement-oriented leadership
61. Followers who prefer authoritarian leadership benefit from ______.
A. directive leadership
B. participative leadership
C. supportive leadership
D. achievement-oriented leadership
62. My job is data entry, which I do all day long every day of the week. This is a(n)
______.
A. complex task characteristic
B. ambiguous task characteristic
C. challenging task characteristic
D. mundane task characteristic
63. My job’s policies and procedures change regularly. This is a(n) ______.
A. complex task characteristic
B. unclear task characteristic
C. challenging task characteristic
D. mundane task characteristic
64. My job does not have set ways of doing each task. This is a(n) ______.
A. complex task characteristic
B. ambiguous task characteristic
C. repetitive task characteristic
D. unchallenging task characteristic
65. My job has many pieces that stretch my ability every day. This is a(n) ______.
A. challenging task characteristic
B. repetitive task characteristic
C. unclear task characteristic
D. mundane task characteristic
66. My job as a leader using path-goal theory is to use a style that ______.
A. that best fits the followers’ needs
B. that best fits the followers’ needs and the type of job they are doing
C. that best fits the leader’s style and the followers’ work style
D. that best fits the followers’ characteristics
67. I am really frustrated and unsatisfied with my work right now. I need my leader to
______.
A. nurture me
B. involve me
C. challenge me
D. direct me
68. I am tired of doing the same old boring job. I need my leader to ______.
A. challenge me
B. involve me
C. support me
D. direct me
69. I am doing a job that has ambiguous rules for which I need clarity. I need my leader
to ______.
A. challenge me
B. involve me
C. nurture me
D. direct me
70. A strength of the path–goal theory is ______.
A. it is very complex and has many aspects to it
B. empirical research partially supports its validity
C. it attempts to integrate motivation from expectancy theory
D. it clearly explains the relationship between motivation and leader behaviors
71. Path–goal theory ______.
A. is not a practical model
B. is a practical model
C. is not prescriptive
D. has high validity
72. According to path–goal theory, when an employee’s tasks are complex and
challenging and the employee has a high need to excel, the boss should apply ______.
A. directive behaviors
B. supportive behaviors
C. participative behaviors
D. achievement oriented behaviors
73. There are multiple leader behaviors, task characteristics, and follower
characteristics in path-goal theory that must be assessed correctly and integrated for
effective leadership. This is a ______.
A. strength of path-goal theory
B. criticism of path-goal theory
C. leader benefit of path-goal theory
D. organizational benefit of path-goal theory
74. Principles of path–goal theory ______.
A. are applied in many leadership training programs
B. easy for leaders to apply to their followers
C. consistent with organizational leadership training topics
D. can be used for all types of tasks at all levels of leadership
75. An advantage of using path-goal theory is ______.
A. it connects both work tasks and leader-member exchanges for effective leadership
B. it connects both work setting and skill development of followers
C. it connects the work tasks and follower needs for effective leadership
D. it connects leaders with followers by focusing on followers first
76. Path–goal theory was developed to ______.
A. explain how leaders motivate followers to be satisfied and successful in their work
B. explain how to get all followers in the in-group
C. explain how motivation improves follower service orientation
D. explain how authoritarian leader behaviors are inappropriate in the work setting
77. In path–goal theory, leaders can chose from ______ types of behaviors.
A. two
B. three
C. four
D. five
78. Karina sorts and files medical records all day long. She is bored. Path–goal theory
suggests Karina would be best motivated by ______.
A. higher goals
B. stricter deadlines
C. involvement in decisions
D. regular lunch with her boss
79. A special focus of path–goal theory is on helping followers overcome ______.
A. self-limiting behaviors
B. obstacles
C. complexity
D. expectancy
80. Path–goal theory supports the idea that ______.
A. leaders should be fair by treating all followers the same way
B. followers should take the primary role in the leadership process
C. leaders should give followers what is missing in their environment
D. followers should expect leaders to inspire them with lofty goals
True/False
1. Path–goal theory is based on motivation principles drawn from expectancy theory.
2. Once a leader adjusts his/her style to match a follower’s needs, he/she should
continue to use that style with that follower.
3. According to path–goal theory, achievement-oriented leadership is most effective in
settings where followers are required to perform unambiguous tasks.
4. In work settings where the formal authority system is weak, leadership becomes a
tool that helps subordinates by making the rules and work requirements clear.
5. Path-goal theory predicts that subordinates who have strong needs for affiliation
prefer directive leadership.
6. Participative leadership is effective with subordinates who have a an internal locus of
control.
7. Path-goal leadership is an approach to leadership for which many management
training programs have been developed.
8. Path–goal theory is a lot like coaching and mentoring in Mumford’s Skills Model.
9. Supportive behaviors in path-goal theory are similar to supportive behaviors in the
situational approach.
10. Path–goal theory predicts that subordinates who are authoritarian prefer directive
leadership.
Northouse, Leadership 8e
SAGE Publications, 2019
Short Answer
1. Prior to the introduction path–goal theory, studies of leadership examined leaders
and, to a lesser extent, followers. What new element did path goal theory introduce to
the study of leadership?
2. In a sentence, explain what path–goal theory is designed to explain.
3. According to path–goal theory, when a follower encounters some type of obstacle at
work, the leader should help. What are two actions the leader can take?
4. Jared just started a new job as a project manager at consulting firm, and his boss
Kathy challenged him to establish a social media strategy for the company. The
company currently has no social media presence. Jared is comfortable working on his
own and has an internal locus of control. Using path-goal theory, what leadership
behavior would you recommend Kathy apply, and what is one action you recommend
she take?
5. Briefly describe one criticism of path–goal theory.
Essay
1. In path–goal theory, when tasks are ambiguous, three different styles of leadership
are prescribed. How would a leader know which one to choose?
2. How can a leader’s style affect a follower’s motivation?
3. Path-goal theory is criticized for its over-emphasis on the leader and not so much on
the follower. This may lead to follower dependence on the leader. What would you
recommend to an organization wanting to avoid such outcomes? Give examples using
specific behaviors you would recommend for a leader.
Northouse, Leadership 8e
SAGE Publications, 2019
4. Both the directive and supportive leader behaviors in the path-goal approach are
quite similar to the leader behaviors of the same name in the situational approach.
Participative and achievement-oriented behaviors are different from the other two
behaviors in situational approach (coaching and delegating). Compare and contrast
these four behaviors using your knowledge of both the situational approach and path–
goal approach.
5. One of the follower characteristics in path-goal theory is perception of one’s own
ability. As perception of ability goes up, directive leadership should go down. Why is
this? And what is the effect on the follower if directive leadership continues to be used?
