Path-Goal Contingency Theory Organization. Explain Theory Works Essay

Path-Goal Contingency Theory organization. Explain theory works include examples. 2. Explain effect power influence leaders followers organization.

Leadership is one of the key concepts in the military, as leaders need to command their subordinates by taking on attitudes that provide purpose, guidance, and incentive. A military leader has to concentrate on completing missions and on guaranteeing the welfare of his or her subordinates in the process. When considering leadership strategies, the military is typically most supportive with regard to the idea of chain of command. In contrast to other types of leaders, a military leader needs to focus on performing selfless services by putting the interests of a series of other bodies before his or her personal needs.

Army leaders need to have a complex understanding of the duties coming along with being a leader in addition to being familiar with the values and attributes that they need to take on in order to be as efficient as possible. In many cases an army leader needs to be more than a person who has the knowledge and the character required for an individual in this position. He or she also has to be well-acquainted with the strategies that he or she can use with the purpose of putting these values into play.

1. Path-Goal Contingency Theory

When regarding military leadership from a perspective involving contingency theory, it becomes clear that a superior has to be able to assume leadership roles depending on the situation that he or she is in. Concepts like the way that subordinates feel toward their leader, the clarity of the mission that the group needs to perform, and the leader's ability to impose his or her authority are all essential in shaping military leadership.

A military leader needs to be able to make rapid decisions in critical circumstances while also concentrating on putting across moral thinking. Depending on the tasks that they need to concentrate on, a commanding officer chooses diverse individuals to take on leadership roles that are likely to be in agreement with their qualities. "A military officer may function extremely well as a department head or division officer, but may be unable to make time-critical decisions." (Earnhardt)

One of the strategic functions that a military leader needs to consider is to improve the psychological condition of his or her subordinates. This is more likely to make them more motivated with regard to their duties and to make them satisfied as a result of being in charge of particular activities. A subordinate's motivation can be seriously influenced by factors like:

Their experience in performing certain activities

The assistance they receive while performing these respective activities

The problems they come across while trying to succeed

The recompense they receive as a result of being proficient in their line of work

A commanding officer who effectively implements the path-goal theory would have to develop strong relationships with his or her junior officers. Through employing this theory, the commanding officer generally intends to create parallels between the well-being of all of his missions and the well-being of each of his or her subordinates. The main objectives of the group's mission and the junior officer's ability to comprehend them as being his or her own are largely the principal elements of a path-goal approach.

2. The effect of power and influence that leaders have on followers in the organization Military leaders have to have a more complex understanding of the idea of leadership, as the resources they are in charge of are much more significant than the ones in the hands of most leaders. "The context in which they operate is one of chaos, danger, unlimited liability, and fighting spirit." (Horn & Walker 2008, 543) Being a military leader thus means that one needs to overcome each of these issues and reaches out to his or her subordinates with the purpose of providing them with the feeling that it is in their best interest to take on certain attitudes.

As military leaders, individuals have a thorough understanding of the effectiveness of particular attitudes. Superiors need to be well-acquainted with the nature of their attitudes, how they influence their behavior, and how they influence behaviors seen in their subordinates. Subordinates respond positively or negatively depending on the attitudes that their superiors employ, thus meaning that the latter concentrate on estimating the effects of their actions and then attempt to replicate behaviors that have proved to be effective in positively influencing the former. "Effective leaders will not only understand their followers' attitudes, they will be able to influence these attitudes to make sure that they are in line with group ideals." (Horn & Walker 2008, 17)

Combat is a serious crisis situation for military leaders and soldiers spend most of their time preparing for it as a result. Military leaders mainly focus on providing their subordinates with a complex understanding of what combat entails, as this makes it possible for them to deal with the diverse range of feelings they are likely to experience on the battlefield (Klann 2003, 7). While this is certainly effective in preventing soldiers from being negatively affected as a result of the intense emotions they experience on the battlefield, it is also likely to desensitize them. Individuals who are influenced to believe that it would be best for them to avoid considering the emotional aspect of their missions are less probable to actually concentrate on leaving as little casualties as possible. Furthermore, the fact that military leaders take on the duty of dealing with both their personal feelings and the feelings of their subordinates can seriously affect them in the long run.

3. The role and effectiveness of transformational and transactional leadership in the organization

Even with the fact that military leaders are normally encouraged to get actively involved in providing their subordinates with the most effective style of leadership they can possibly devise, employing a transformational leadership style can often reflect negatively on their likeliness to experience success in a mission. In isolate cases leaders have to act rapidly and this means that they have to consider alternatives to rules that typically apply in such situations as long as these respective rules are very probable to be ineffective. "Under military combat conditions, a leader does not have time to discuss alternative actions or plans and gives orders to his or her troops expecting the order to be carried out immediately and without hesitation or question." (Winkler 2009, 29)

A military leader can consider that his subordinates work to their full potential and that they invest a great deal of resources into their jobs. However, this is unlikely to be the case in most military units and some might be inclined to work more or less than others. This is why the military has a solid set of regulations that emphasize the importance of rewards and penalties. Individuals who perform exceptional work are probable to be promoted or rewarded with diverse medals and compensations. In contrast, soldiers who perform poorly are likely to be downgraded, discharged, or even sent to confinement.

While exceptional situations require exceptional solutions, military leaders are typically leaning toward acting in agreement with legislations, regardless if this seems like the right thing to do or not. This is why transactional leadership dominates thinking in the military and is one of the principal elements strengthening the relationship leaders and their subordinates.

4. The traits and characteristics of an effective team leader within the organization

An effective military leader is a person who is perfectly able to direct, motivate, and assist his or her subordinates. "An "applied" definition for an effective military leader would need to refer to the values at the core of the profession of arms, and, in the military ethos, the military's purposes, the means of influence, the importance of followers and their welfare and stability, and leader flexibility." (Walker & Horn 2008) Military leaders primarily need to focus on completing missions in a professional way and to act in accordance with moral values at the same time. In addition to supporting his or her subordinates as they perform activities that are required in particular situations, an effective military leader is also a person who concentrates on improving their capabilities (Walker & Horn 2008).

Many military leaders have trouble deciding whether it would be best for them to focus on leading their subordinates or on leading the institution as a whole. The first option is likely to be more time-consuming and impossible to perform in particular situations. Similarly, the second option can prove to be less effective as a military leader would experience problems in understanding the way that his or her subordinates think. "Historically, leadership research, theory, and practical advice have emphasized the personal face-to-face nature of leadership and the associated techniques for directly influencing subordinate performance, or one or more of its behavioral elements, in a fairly immediate way." (Walker & Horn 2008)

Leadership is generally meant to influence people, but it is also meant to…