Leadership Scenario

The Leadership/Motivation Case, “A Question of Motivation” provided a scenario in which two employees’, Alex and Stephanie, differences in work supervision and schedule could alter their perception of motivation in the workplace. Alex and Stephanie joined their local supermarket at the same time, which was two years ago, to make ends meet and pay for college. Although there are some similarities, the differences are what stood out. Stephanie arrived and left work with a smile on her face, while Alex complained and grumbled about his work. The two had the same amount of work experience, but their respective supervisor’s management skills were not on the same level. Jonathan, who managed Stephanie, was admired by everyone for his friendly demeanor and relaxed management style, whereas, Dan, who managed Alex, preferred repetition in work, and was not sensitive to his employee’s needs or wants. The textbook, Modern Management Concept and Skills, provides insight into the different theories of motivation and leadership, which would explain the work behaviors of Alex and Stephanie.

For Stephanie, Jonathan was able to bring out the best in Stephanie, through activities that constituted goals, which provided rewards that were achievable, but also desirable, as well as defining the type of behavior required to earn such rewards. (Certo, S. C. & Certo, S. T., 2014, p. 345) This type of leadership would best fit the Path-Goal Theory of Leadership, which maintains that managers can increase job performance by presenting employees with rewards that directly relate to their overall performance. In the Leadership/Motivation Case, Jonathan provided Stephanie with the opportunity to earn a bonus of $75.00 for the week, by setting a goal of selling at least ten bottles of truffle oil by the following week. By providing a reachable and desirable goal that Stephanie would be able to try and obtain, in turn helped Jonathan increase job performance for the local supermarket. Along with goals and rewards, the Path-Goal Theory of Leadership explains that leaders exhibit four types of behaviors, which would include: Directive, Supportive, Participative, and Achievement Behavior. In Stephanie’s case, Jonathan exhibited both the Supportive and Achievement Behavior of a leader. A Supportive leader shows concern for the well-being and needs of their employees, and treats them as equals, where as an Achievement-Oriented leader involves creating challenging and high standard performance goals for their employees and seeks for improvement by providing confidence in his employees. (Hayyat Malik, S., 2012, p. 360)

For Alex, Dan provided no outlet for growth and was not able bring out the best in Alex. This was in part due to his rigid and monotonous work schedule, and the power control that Dan exuded over his employees. Dan’s management style would fit in best with Fiedler’s Contingency Theory of Leadership, which