PATH-GOAL LEADERSHIP (how leaders serve)

EMPOWERING YOUR PROFESSIONAL LIFE 1.Turning ME into WE 2.Developing situationally- relevant leadership styleS

PRO SUCCESS TOOLS 1.The 4 path-goal leadership styles 2.Path 4 of the online Virtual Teams pro manual

“Working with Jimmy Cagney made me a better actor.” (Because his magnetism brought out the best performance in his co-actors.)

You’re not leading if others aren’t benefitting. Leading is positive & productive in purpose & generates positive emotions which encourage employees to cooperate & contribute. When you’re competently leading people, you’re simultaneously motivating them.

One of the quickest/easiest ways for leaders to benefit/serve co-workers is to clear a path to the goals you/they (WE) are trying to achieve = “run interference” for them like blockers for a running back in football.

“Operationalize” the goal showing co-workers the what, why, who, when, where, & how of pursuing the goal = SERVICE Remove obvious organizational barriers to goal achievement, such as inadequate resources, lack of training, or work overload = SERVICE Keep co-workers informed daily about progress = SERVICE

The PATH is more important than the goal because you learn more about success from traveling the path than from achieving the goal.

LEADING SITUATIONLLY = Follower FEEDBACK

Zamples of 4 path-goal scenarios

Tailor-Made LFMing 4 Leading strategies: M icromanaging, P ersonalized, P articipative, T eam keyed to 4 Follower profiles: 1.Limited skills/ N on-trained 2.Job process skills/ T rained 3.Job process skills/ C oached 4.Pro orientation: P eer / S elf- managed

PATH-GOAL leadership scenario #1: Micro-managing leadership style

Leading/serving workers who lack goal- focus & have limited skills = Directive leadership style: micro- managing workers to group success

Main Leadership Challenge Using impersonal approach in getting competent results out of workers not directly connected to the org mission

GOAL: Quick salting of roads & walkways PATH: Layout all equipment & supplies for workers; stay on site with workers to oversee effectiveness & “trouble-shoot” emerging problems

PATH-GOAL leadership scenario #2 Personalized leadership style Jackie’s REAL McDonald’s dollar menu

Leading/serving workers who lack goal-focus & have job process skills = Personalized leadership style: positive reinforcement path to goal

Main Leadership Challenge Motivating workers who: Are temp & low- skilled Make minimum money Currently have no career future

GOAL: Motivate workers with fun competitions PATH: Jackie creates a personalized, fun working atmosphere by positively- reinforcing her workers with one dollar bills & candy when they set or break a group-set performance goal.

PATH-GOAL leadership scenario #3 Participative leadership style

Leading workers to attain their assigned goals via on-the-job training (OJT) & coaching = Participative leadership style: job-process employees participate in paving the path to their own goal

Main Leadership Challenge Getting low mission-focused, inexperienced workers to contribute to the org mission Getting other lower level, temp workers to coach newbies Getting lower level employees to think somewhat professionally

GOAL: Install an OJT/coaching operating system throughout the store PATH: Use “managing by walking around” for coaching sessions between newbies & more experienced co-workers

New temp employees work around more experienced temps who coach when requested. Rewarding both groups with “mission commissions.”

PATH-GOAL leadership scenario #4 Virtual team (self/team) leadership style

Leading/serving professional workers who are goal-committed & competent = Virtual team leadership style: professional employees make their own decisions

Main Leadership Challenge Motivating workers to: Develop holistic FLM triangles Surf on two waves Show loyalty to the org

GOAL: Make investment decisions via group intelligence & judgment PATH: Use team brainstorming to shape risk-balanced consensus investment strategies