Web Search

Go online to a business magazine home page such as INC (http://www.inc.com) or Fortune (http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune).  In the search box, enter one of the key terms from the chapter, such as expectancy theory, employee motivation, group norms, formal authority or supportive leadership.  Read two or three of the articles and write a short summary of their content.  How are these topics relevant for workers today?  What is the role of communication in these processes?  What does the new information contribute to our understanding of path-goal theory? 

Locus of Control

Go online and complete Rotter’s Locus of Control Scale Test (http://www.mccc.edu/~jenningh/Courses/documents/Rotter-locusofcontrolhandout.pdf).

Based on your results, is your locus of control external or internal? Do you think your results are accurate? Do you think items on the scale are accurate? Reflect on how your locus of control affects your leadership behavior and your responses to others’ leadership styles.

Decision-Making Style

Go online and complete a Decision-Making Style Test

(http://www.kent.edu/career/quick-career-decision-maker). Decision making is influenced by one’s traits (such as introversion/extraversion), skills (such as problem solving and critical thinking), and experiences (career, personal). Based on your results, how well would the path-goal approach work for you? Would you need a lot of time to weigh different options before taking action? Would you seek out the advice of others before acting? Would you be tempted to take shortcuts? Would you be tempted to not analyze subordinate characteristics very carefully and just make a “gut call”?