Outstanding Leadership Theory (OLT)

In 1994, House published Organizational Behavior: The State of the Science with Philip Podsakoff.  House and Podsakoff attempted to summarize the behaviors and approaches of "outstanding leaders" that they obtained from some more modern theories and research findings. Using the Path-Goal model as a framework, their Outstanding Leadership Theory (OLT) expanded the list of leadership behaviors required to channel follower's motivations and goals more effectively toward the leader's vision:

  • Vision: Leaders are able to communicate a vision that meshes with the values of their followers.
  • Passion and self-sacrifice: Leaders believe fully in their vision and are willing to make sacrifices in order to achieve it.
  • Confidence, determination, and persistence: Leaders are confident their vision is correct and take whatever action is necessary to reach it.
  • Image-building: Leaders are cognizant of how they are perceived by their followers. They strive to ensure followers view them in a positive light.
  • Role-modeling: Leaders seek to model qualities such as credibility and trustworthiness that their followers would seek to emulate.
  • External representation: Leaders are spokespersons for their organizations (for example, Steve Jobs).
  • Expectations of and confidence in followers: Leaders trust that their followers can succeed and expect them to do so.
  • Selective motive-arousal: Leaders are able to hone in on specific motives in followers and use them to push their followers to reach a goal.
  • Frame alignment: Leaders align certain interests, values, actions, etc. between leadership and followers to inspire positive action.
  • Inspirational communication: Leaders are able to inspire followers to act using verbal and non-verbal communication.