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Leaders clear obstacles along the path between followers and goals.
Robert J. House (1932–2011) developed path-goal theory at the University of Toronto before a long Wharton career, where he later founded the 62-society GLOBE study of culture and leadership and revived the scientific study of charisma.
House framed the leader's job as motivational engineering: clarify the path, remove obstacles, and connect effort to valued outcomes — with behavior moderated by follower needs and task structure.
The era: Situation & Contingency — Situational variables are considered; behavior is moderated by obstacles along the path between subordinates and goals.
Leaders clear obstacles along the path between followers and goals.
This theory sits in the Situation & Contingency era of the map: Situational variables are considered; behavior is moderated by obstacles along the path between subordinates and goals.
Clear the path: remove obstacles between your people and their goals.
Match style to follower need — directive for ambiguity, supportive for stress, participative for expertise.