Teaching Case: Leading the Troop: Applying Path-Goal Theory in a Girl Scout Fundraiser

Lainee Meyers

Background

Emma is the leader of a local Girl Scout troop, made up of 10 girls between the ages of 10 and 12. The troop has been together for about a year, and they meet once a week to work on badges, community service projects, and outdoor activities. Recently, the troop has been tasked with organizing a large community fundraiser to support local shelters. This is a big project for the girls, and Emma knows that success will depend on how well she can guide and motivate the troop.

Each girl in the troop has different skill sets, experience levels, and motivations.

• Sophia is confident and enjoys leading, but sometimes struggles with following directions.
• Ava is very quiet and often needs reassurance but is very good at detail-oriented tasks.
• Mia loves participating in the activities but often gets distracted and does not always finish her assigned tasks.
• Lily is highly independent and prefers to work on her own, but she occasionally distances herself from group discussions.
• Chloe enjoys working with others and oVen mediates conflicts, but she hesitates to take the initiative.

The Task 

The fundraiser involves multiple components, including selling cookies at local events,  organizing a raffle, and hosting a community bake sale. The troop members need to split into smaller teams to manage each part of the event. The success of the fundraiser is crucial, and Emma wants to ensure the girls learn important leadership and teamwork skills in the process.

Challenges 

Emma recognizes that each girl has a different personality and motivation level. She wants to apply the Path-Goal Theory of leadership to guide the troop through the process effectively, but she knows she needs to adjust her leadership style to meet the needs of the girls and the demands of the tasks.

Discussion Questions

1. Directive Leadership: Emma is aware that the fundraiser is a complex task for the girls. Some of the girls have life experience with managing events or finances. In what situations should Emma use directive leadership, providing clear guidance and instructions? How might this approach help girls like Mia, who sometimes gets distracted and doesn’t finish tasks?
2. Supportive Leadership: Several of the girls, such as Ava, need reassurance and confidence-building. When should Emma adopt a supportive leadership style? What kind of actions could she take to provide emotional support while maintaining motivation for girls who may feel overwhelmed by the task?
3. Participative Leadership: Since some of the girls, like Sophia, enjoy taking charge, Emma knows she must involve them in the decision-making process. How should Emma apply participative leadership to help these girls feel involved and valued? What specific decisions should she ask them to contribute to in order to enhance their engagement?
4. Achievement-Oriented Leadership: Emma recognizes that setting high goals for the troop will challenge them and motivate certain members, like Lily, who enjoys working independently. How can she use achievement-oriented leadership to encourage the girls to push themselves to reach ambitious fundraising targets? What role might this approach play in developing the girls’ leadership skills?
5. Follower and Task characteristics: Based on the description of each girl in the troop, what leadership behavior do you think would be most effective for everyone? How should Emma tailor her leadership style when dealing with complex tasks like managing finances versus simpler tasks like setting up a cookie booth?

Learning Objectives

Understand how to apply the Path-Goal Theory in a practical scenario

• Recognize the importance of adapting leadership styles based on follower needs and task characteristics.
• Analyze different leadership behaviors (directive, supportive, participative, and achievement-oriented) and their impact on group performance.

Guiding the Discussion

Encourage students to think critically about the situational needs of each troop member and how Emma can use different leadership styles to ensure the success of the fundraiser. Highlight the adaptability of Path-Goal Theory and how it can be applied to real-world leadership scenarios, not just within formal organizational settings but also in community-based leadership situations like this one.

Author Bio

Lainee Meyers is a passionate advocate for social justice, with over ten years of experience in direct homeless services and public administration. While working full-time and pursuing a Master of Public Policy at the University of Northern Iowa, Lainee focuses on addressing systemic inequalities in housing, healthcare, and environmental justice. Known for strong skills in empathy, communication, and strategic thinking, they bring a deep commitment to equity and inclusion to both their professional and academic roles. A Utah native, Lainee finds balance through the outdoors, books, podcasts, and time spent with their two dogs.

License

This case study is licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.