Weekly Discussion Assignment: Path-Goal Leadership Questionnaire Reflection

This assignment forms part of the Nursing Leadership and Management course and supports students in examining their personal leadership tendencies through a validated self-assessment tool. It connects directly to course goals of applying leadership theory to real nursing environments, where style choices affect staff motivation, care quality, and team stability amid ongoing workforce pressures.

Overview and Purpose

Path-goal theory describes how leaders clarify paths to goals, remove obstacles, and adapt behaviors to follower needs and task demands. The questionnaire measures four styles: directive, supportive, participative, and achievement-oriented. Completing and reflecting on the instrument helps nurses recognize patterns in their approach and identify targeted growth areas that strengthen both individual practice and unit outcomes.

Learning Outcomes

Apply path-goal theory concepts to personal leadership behavior in nursing settings.
Analyze assessment results to identify strengths and development needs.
Develop a realistic plan for improving a weaker leadership style with attention to patient safety and staff engagement.
Support reflections with evidence from leadership literature and nursing research.

Task Description and Instructions

Locate the Path–Goal Leadership Questionnaire in your course textbook or the provided module resource. Complete all 20 items using the 1–7 scale where 1 equals never and 7 equals always. Reverse-score items 7, 11, 16, and 18 as directed in the scoring key. Calculate totals for each style: directive (items 1, 5, 9, 14, 18), supportive (items 2, 8, 11, 15, 20), participative (items 3, 4, 7, 12, 17), and achievement-oriented (items 6, 10, 13, 16, 19).

Post your four style scores and a reflective response in the discussion forum. Address these points in order: which style produced your highest score and why this pattern fits your nursing experience; which style produced your lowest score and the workplace or personal factors that may explain it; and at least two specific, actionable steps you will take to strengthen the lowest area. Tie your observations to nursing practice realities such as shift demands, interdisciplinary coordination, or quality improvement efforts. Include one citation from the required or recommended resources.

Requirements

Submit completed questionnaire scores as an attachment or embedded table in your initial post.
Initial post length: approximately 300–400 words (one page double-spaced in standard academic formatting).
Use APA 7th edition for in-text citations and reference list.
Respond substantively to at least two classmates with comments that extend the conversation, such as shared experiences or additional improvement strategies.
Post initial response by the module deadline; peer replies due two days later.

Assessment Rubric

Accurate scoring and clear presentation of results (20 points)
Depth and honesty in explaining highest and lowest styles with nursing context (35 points)
Feasible, specific improvement plan linked to practice outcomes (25 points)
Integration of credible source and APA formatting (10 points)
Quality of peer responses that advance discussion (10 points)

References and Learning Resources

- Northouse, P. G. (2021). Leadership: Theory and practice (9th ed.). Sage Publications. https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/leadership/book/278923
- Batewa, E., Ellina, A. D., & Peristiowati, Y. (2025). Path-Goal leadership style and its relationship with nurse motivation and performance: A cross-sectional study. International Journal of Health Concord, 1(2). https://ihc.candle.or.id/index.php/ihc/article/view/11
- The impact of leadership styles of nurse managers on nurses’ motivation and turnover intention among Jordanian nurses. (2023). Journal of Healthcare Leadership. https://doi.org/10.2147/JHL.S394601

Complete the Path-Goal Leadership Questionnaire then submit a 300–400 word reflection analyzing your highest and lowest style scores with a concrete improvement plan for nursing practice.

Write a one-page reflective essay on your Path-Goal Questionnaire results that explains style patterns and outlines steps to strengthen weaker leadership behaviors in clinical settings.

Path-Goal self-assessment and leadership style development plan for nurses in discussion format.

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Strong Achievement Focus Revealed

In completing the Path-Goal Leadership Questionnaire, my scores showed the achievement-oriented style as strongest at 31, well above the high-use threshold. This pattern fits my years in acute care where I regularly set demanding performance targets around medication safety and documentation accuracy to maintain standards during short staffing. I encourage ongoing improvement and communicate high expectations because those behaviors help teams meet patient care goals even when resources feel stretched. My lowest score landed in the participative style at 19, near the common range yet clearly weaker than the others. Fast-paced shifts and the need for rapid decisions in critical moments often lead me to direct rather than consult, which may explain the gap. To build this area I will begin by inviting brief input during morning huddles on one workflow issue each week and track how the suggestions affect team buy-in. Findings from recent hospital research confirm that achievement-oriented leadership links strongly to higher nurse motivation and performance when leaders also create space for staff voice (Batewa et al., 2025).

Nursing Research Supports Balanced Styles

A 2025 cross-sectional study of inpatient nurses found supportive, participative, and achievement-oriented styles each produced significant positive correlations with both motivation and performance, while directive behaviors showed no measurable connection. These results suggest my high achievement score supplies a useful foundation for driving results, yet expanding participative habits could amplify team commitment without sacrificing output. Leaders who involve staff in setting or refining goals often see greater ownership of outcomes, especially during change initiatives common in today’s hospitals. The same study noted that participative approaches strengthen the very motivation my current profile already supports through challenging targets. I therefore view the lower participative score not as a fixed trait but as an area where deliberate practice will round out effectiveness.

- - Reserve five minutes in weekly unit meetings for one open question on process improvements.
  - After decisions, briefly summarize how team input shaped the final plan to reinforce the value of contribution.
  - Pair with a mentor who models strong participative behaviors and request feedback on my attempts.

Integrating Input Without Slowing Care Delivery

Nurses frequently ask how to grow participative tendencies while preserving efficiency in high-acuity environments. Structured micro-consultations offer one workable path: pose a single targeted question during low-urgency moments such as post-huddle debriefs or quality project updates rather than during code responses. Over several weeks this habit builds staff confidence that their ideas matter and surfaces practical solutions that a lone leader might overlook. The approach pairs naturally with an existing strength in setting high standards because staff who help shape goals tend to pursue them more vigorously. Longitudinal observations in healthcare settings show that leaders who blend achievement focus with genuine input see measurable gains in retention and reduced burnout, outcomes that matter as much as immediate task completion. Small, consistent experiments with participative micro-habits therefore represent a low-risk way to close the identified gap while protecting the pace of care.