Final answer:
Leaders who are caring and nurturing demonstrate a supportive leadership style as per the Path-Goal theory, which adapts to the needs of the employees to enhance their satisfaction and productivity.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a leader demonstrates care and nurturing towards the needs and well-being of employees, they are showing a leadership style that aligns with the Path-Goal theory. This theory suggests that a leader's style can vary based on the employee's needs and the work context. Leaders who provide high levels of support, and are considerate of their employees' personal well-being, demonstrate a style that is sometimes aligned with the supportive dimension of this theory. Additionally, for those who need more structure, a directive approach might be adopted. Understanding the unique needs of employees allows leaders to adapt their style to encourage productivity and satisfaction. Factors like the employee's need for autonomy, structure, and growth all influence how well they respond to different leadership styles. Leaders who focus on providing a well-structured environment with clear responsibilities and little ambiguity under the Path-Goal theory can create a strong positive leader-follower relationship, especially for employees high in need for leadership. Those who are less satisfied with strict growth demands may benefit from a more nurturing approach. Furthermore, transformational leadership style is characterized by traits that include care for individual employee needs and personal development, which is another angle that intersects with the supportive behavior indicated in Path-Goal theory.