Leadership 201
Foundations of Leadership Studies
1
Theoretical Perspectives on Leadership:
The Contingency/Situational Approaches
Contingency
Model
Path–Goal
Theory
Situational
Theory
2
Where Are We Now?
▼ Trait theories
▼ Behavioral theories
▼ Situational/contingency theories
– Fiedler's Contingency Model
– Path-Goal Theory
– Hersey-Blanchard Situational Theory (next
class)
3
Fiedler's Contingency Theory of Leadership
▼ Leader Effectiveness = f (leader style, situation favorability)
– Group performance is a result of
interaction of two factors.
• Leadership style
• Situational favorableness
4
Leadership Style
▼ Leadership Style
– This is the consistent system of
interactions that takes place between a
leader and work group.
– An individual's leadership style depends
upon his or her personality and is, thus,
fixed
5
Least Preferred Coworker (LPC)
▼ The least-preferred coworker (LPC) scale
classifies leadership styles.
– Describe the one person with whom he or
she worked the least well with.
– From a scale of 1 through 8, describe this
person on a series of bipolar scales:
Unfriendly 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Friendly
Uncooperative 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Cooperative
Hostile 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Supportive
Guarded 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Open
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Leadership Styles
Relationship oriented:
A high LPC score suggests that the leader has a human
relations orientation
Task oriented:
A low LPC score indicates a task orientation.
Fiedler's logic:
Individuals who rate their least preferred coworker in a
favorable light derive satisfaction out of interpersonal
relationship; those who rate the coworker unfavorably
get satisfaction out of successful task performance
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Situation Favorability
▼ Situation Favorability
– The degree a situation enables a leader to
exert influence over a group
– The focus is on three key situational factors
• Leader-member relations
• Task structure
• Position power
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Situation Favorability
1. Leader-member relations:
The degree to which the employees accept the leader
2. Task structure:
The degree to which the subordinates jobs are
described in detail
3. Position power:
The amount of formal authority the leader possesses
by virtue of his or her position in the organization.
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When to Use Which Style??
Contingency Model
Leader-Member
Relations
Task
Structure
Position
Power
Preferred
Leadership
Style
Good
High
Poor
Low
High
Low
Strong
Weak
Strong
Weak
Strong
Weak
Strong
Weak
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Low LPCs
High LPCs
Low
LPCs
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Fielder’s Contingency Model
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Implications
▼ 1. The favorableness of leadership situations should be
assessed
▼ 2. Candidates for leadership positions should be evaluated
using the LPC scale
▼ 3. If a leader is being sought for a particular leadership
position, a leader with the appropriate LPC profile should be
chosen
▼ 4. If a leadership situation is being chosen for a particular
candidate, a situation should be chosen which matches
his/her LPC profile
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House & Mitchell’s Path–Goal Theory
Leadership style is effective on the basis of
how successfully leaders support their
subordinates’ perceptions of:
Goals that need to be achieved
Rewards for successful performance
Behaviors that lead to successful performance
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House & Mitchell’s Path–Goal Theory
Leaders can influence subordinates’ motivation by:
1. Teaching employees competencies needed
2. Tailoring rewards to meet employees’ needs
3. Acting to support subordinates’ efforts
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Assumptions of Path–Goal Theory
1. A leader’s behavior is acceptable and satisfying
to subordinates to the extent that they view it as
either an immediate source of satisfaction
or as an instrument to some future satisfaction.
2. A leader’s behavior will increase subordinates’
efforts if it links satisfaction of their needs to
effective performance and supports their
efforts to achieve goals.
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Path–Goal Theory Leadership Behavior
Instrumental behavior
(task-oriented)
Supportive behavior
(employee-oriented)
Participative behavior
(employee-oriented)
Achievement-oriented behavior
(employee-oriented)
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Path–Goal Theory Situational Factors
Personal characteristics of subordinates
Work environment
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Path–Goal Theory Situational Factors
Personal Characteristics of Subordinates
Abilities
Self-Confidence
Personal Needs
and Motivations
Perception of
Leaders
18
Path–Goal Theory Situational Factors
Work Environment
Culture and
Subculture
Policies
and Rules
Management
Philosophy
Exercise of
Power
Structure
of Tasks
19
Choosing a Leadership Style
▼ Leaders need to choose a leadership style that
best fits the needs of subordinates and the task
they are doing.
20
Path-Goal Theory
Leader Behaviors
Directive, Supportive
Participative, Achievement Oriented
Subordinate Characteristics
Task Characteristics
Subordinates
Motivation
Goals/Productivity
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Applying Fiedler’s Contingency Theory
▼ Fill out the LPC
– Determine whether you are task or
relationship oriented.
▼ Think of a leadership situation in which you were
not optimally effective and/or one in which you
excelled
– Evaluate the situation(s)
– Does your experience support Fiedler’s
theory?
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Contingency theory: Strengths
▼ Supported by a lot of empirical research
▼ Looks at the impact of the situation on leaders
▼ It is predictive
▼ It does not require that people be effective in all
situations
▼ It provides a way to assess leader style that
could be useful to an organization
23
Contingency Theory: Weaknesses
▼ Black box: Why?
▼ There is some doubt whether the LPC is a true
measure of leadership style
▼ It is cumbersome to use
▼ Doesn't explain what to do when there is a
mismatch between style and situation
▼ Other situational variables, like training and
experience, have an impact in a leader's
effectiveness
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Path Goal Theory: Strengths
▼ It specifies four conceptually distinct varieties of
leadership
▼ Explains how task and subordinate
characteristics affect the impact of leadership
▼ The framework provided in path-goal theory
informs leaders about how to choose an
appropriate leadership style.
▼ It attempts to integrate the motivation principles
into a theory of leadership.
▼ Provides a practical model
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Path Goal Theory: Weaknesses
▼ It is very complex.
▼ It has received only partial support from the
many empirical research studies that have been
conducted to test its validity.
▼ It fails to explain the relationship between
leadership behavior and worker motivation.
▼ This approach treats leadership as a one-way
event-the leader affects the subordinate.
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