discussion post response

I need a 300 word response to the below discussion post. It needs to have three cited peer reviewed articles within the last three years. One can be from the bible.

Integrating PathGoal and LeaderMember Exchange Leadership in Contemporary Practice

discussion of PathGoal Theory and LeaderMember Exchange (LMX) Theory frames leadership as both a behavioral and relational process that must adapt to follower needs and situational demands (Northouse, 2022). PathGoal Theory emphasizes how leaders clarify the path to goal attainment through appropriate behaviors, while LMX Theory focuses on the quality of relationships leaders develop with individual followers. Two concepts that are particularly influential in shaping leadership effectiveness are directive leadership from PathGoal Theory and leadermember exchange quality from LMX Theory. Contemporary research suggests that these concepts are interdependent, with leadership effectiveness emerging most strongly when task clarity is embedded within high-quality relational exchanges.

Directive Leadership and Path Clarification

PathGoal Theory posits that leaders enhance follower motivation by clarifying goals, reducing ambiguity, and removing obstacles that hinder performance. Directive leadership is especially effective in environments characterized by uncertainty, complexity, or high risk, where followers benefit from explicit guidance and structure (Northouse, 2022). Strong empirical support for this principle is provided by Michael and Smithsons (2025) study examining the Medical Commander role in an emergency department setting.

Michael and Smithson (2025) employed a multimethod qualitative case study design, combining document analysis, nonparticipant observation, semi-structured interviews, and surveys across a broad range of stakeholders, including physicians, nurses, and ambulance personnel. Data were collected over multiple weeks and deductively analyzed using PathGoal Theory as the analytical framework. This approach allowed the researchers to triangulate findings and examine how leadership behaviors were enacted in real time within a high-pressure clinical environment. The study found that directive leadership behaviorssuch as role clarification, task prioritization, and centralized decision-makingwere essential for maintaining patient flow, safety, and staff confidence during periods of high demand.

Notably, directive leadership was not perceived as authoritarian. Instead, staff viewed it as stabilizing and supportive because it reduced uncertainty and cognitive overload. These findings align directly with PathGoal Theorys assertion that directive leadership is most effective when tasks are ambiguous and followers require clarity to perform effectively.

Evidence from outside the healthcare sector reinforces this conclusion. Saleem et al. (2021), using survey-based quantitative methods in the education sector, found directive leadership to be a significant predictor of job performance when tasks were complex and expectations clearly defined. Their findings further validate directive leadership as a core mechanism of path clarification across organizational contexts.

LeaderMember Exchange Quality as a Relational Mediator

While directive leadership clarifies the path, LMX Theory explains how followers interpret and respond to leadership behaviors. LMX Theory asserts that leadership effectiveness depends on the quality of dyadic relationships between leaders and followers. High-quality LMX relationships are characterized by trust, mutual respect, and reciprocal obligation, whereas low-quality exchanges remain transactional and compliance-based (Northouse, 2022).

Zheng et al. (2021) provide empirical evidence that LMX quality mediates the relationship between leadership behaviors and performance outcomes. Using data from project-based teams, their study demonstrated that directive leadership produced positive outcomes only when accompanied by empowering behaviors that strengthened LMX quality. In low-trust relationships, directive leadership weakened performance, underscoring that leadership behaviors are filtered through relational context rather than applied uniformly.

Integrating Directive Leadership and LMX

Taken together, PathGoal and LMX theories suggest that directive leadership clarifies the path to performance, while LMX quality determines whether followers are motivated to follow that path. Michael and Smithsons (2025) findings illustrate that directive authority was accepted because it was grounded in relational trust, accessibility, and consistent support. Similarly, Saleem et al. (2021) and Zheng et al. (2021) demonstrate that directive leadership is most effective when followers perceive leaders as supportive and fair, reinforcing the complementary relationship between task structure and relational exchange.

Biblical Integration

Scripture affirms the importance of both clear direction and relational stewardship in leadership. Proverbs 29:18 states, Where there is no vision, the people perish (ESV), emphasizing the necessity of path clarification. However, biblical leadership also requires relational faithfulness. In Exalting Jesus in 1 and 2 Kings, Merida (2015) highlights that Davids leadership effectiveness flowed not only from decisive action but from covenantal loyalty and accountability before God. Jesus likewise modeled this integration by providing clear instruction while cultivating relational trust with His disciples, stating, I have called you friends (John 15:15, ESV).

Conclusion

Effective leadership emerges when directive clarity is exercised within high-quality leadermember relationships, integrating task structure with relational trust to sustain motivation, performance, and ethical leadership.

References

Michael, A. J. F., & Smithson, R. (2025). Emergency medical commander: A multimethod case study applying the lens of pathgoal leadership theory. BMJ Leader, 16. https://doi.org/10.1136/leader-2024-001189

Merida, T. (2015). Exalting Jesus in 1 and 2 Kings. Holman Reference.

Northouse, P. G. (2022). Leadership: Theory and practice (9th ed.). Sage Publications.

Saleem, A., Wu, L., Aslam, S., & Zhang, T. (2021). Spotlight on leadership pathgoal theory silos in practice to improve and sustain job-oriented development: Evidence from the education sector. Sustainability, 13(21), 12324. https://doi.org/10.3390/su132112324

Zheng, J., Gou, X., Wu, G., Zhao, X., Li, H., & Liu, B. (2021). The ambidextrous and differential effects of directive versus empowering leadership: A study from project context. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 42(3), 348369. https://doi.org/10.1108/LODJ-12-2019-0509