Bar rescue is a reality TV show where bars in risk of going out of business are interrupted by a “rescue team” made up of industry professionals who implement action plans to save the establishments. What makes the show interesting are a few factors; first, how the rescue team communicates the goals to the owners and staff, two, how the owners and staff react, and lastly, if the action plan is enough to save the bar. The episode I chose to watch was about a bar in Tennessee that needed severe help financially. The owners were over $200,000.00 in debt and ran the bar under a B.Y.O.B (bring your own beer/alcohol) standard. This mind-set without regulation was losing the bar thousands of dollars every month.

In the beginning of the episode, the leader of the rescue team Jon, begins with a path/goal theory style of leadership where his focus is all about getting to the end goal of turning around the bar. Jon’s leadership role in the beginning with Tracy and the staff, is a directive path style of showing them exactly what they need to create a following and profits for the bar, for example, when he tells the staff exactly what they need to change in their every day processes of serving their customers and maintaining the bar, Jon gives the bartenders training on how to avoid over pouring their drinks and how to be more efficient when serving the customers. Another directive path example, is when he tells Tracy, the owner, not to give away matches with the bar’s name on it because of potential liability for the bar if one of it’s patrons get in an accident. After the staff begins changing their behavior he begins to clarify why the changes he implemented are important for the success of the team. This explanation of the goals allows the owners and staff to understand why the processes are being changed and how it will help the business. After implementing the changes, the staff begins to enter into phase two of the LMX theory when the bar re-opens to the public. In this stage, the staff begins testing Jon’s boundaries with fading in and out between their old habits and new processes. This fading creates friction between the rescue team and the owners, causing the rescue team to return to the directive style of ordering the staff what they need to do and reminding them if they do not change their behavior the business will not last. By the end of the episode, the rescue team enter into the phase three of the LMX theory in a partnership, where the staff and owners see that the rescue team has their best interest in mind and they begin working together for the betterment of the team and the business.

While watching the episode and identifying the different leadership behaviors used to motivate and lead the team, I realized that the leadership styles change constantly based on the understanding and motivations of the group. Jon adapted his styles and theories based on who he was speaking with and what the end goal was at the time.