Case 6.2 Direction for Some, Support for Others
Case synopsis and analysis
Daniel is an effective leader and owner of a profitable copy center near a large university. Some
of his employees are part-time college students who work on standard copy and duplication jobs.
Daniel knows this work is repetitive and mundane, but he provides a fun environment for these
employees and works to get to know them on a personal level. Daniel’s other employees work
desktop publishing, a more complex and demanding job. These employees are autonomous, self-
Learning objectives:
• Students should be able to decipher subordinate characteristics for two different
groups of followers.
Answers to questions in the text:
1. According to path–goal theory, why is Daniel an effective leader?
Daniel is an effective leader because he adjusts his behavior based on the followers’ needs and
the complexity of the tasks. He is able to help followers work toward their goals while removing
obstacles for them and providing needed support.
2. How does his leadership style affect the motivation of employees at The Copy Center?
3. How do characteristics of the tasks and the followers influence Daniel’s leadership?
The characteristics of the tasks and followers seem to directly influence Daniel’s leadership. He
4. One of the principles of path–goal theory is to make the end goal valuable to workers. What
could Daniel do to improve follower motivation in this area?
Potential teaching approaches:
This case study is conducive to small-group discussions and role plays.
Below is a way to structure a class, based on the path–goal theory and case study 6.2:
– First hold a small-group discussion: Break your class into groups of three to five
students. Have each group develop a list of the top 10 ways to motivate a team in
Northouse, Leadership: Theory and Practice, Seventh Edition: Instructor Resource
Exercises for this case study:
1) If the class has 30 or fewer people: The professor asks students to decide what type of
leadership behavior most motivates them: directive, supportive, participative, or achievement
2) Small-group work: Daniel has become ill and needs to train employees to lead the desktop
publishing and duplication units. Should he train one or two people? Students should decide