Transcript Contingency Theory Approach
Contingency Theory Approach
AGED 3153
Leadership should be more participative than directive, more enabling than performing.
~Mary D. Poole
Overview
Contingency theory approach perspective Leadership styles Situational variables Research findings How does the contingency theory approach work?
Based on…
Fiedler & colleagues
Studied styles of leaders who worked in different contexts.
Primarily military organizations Styles of good and bad leaders Assessed: Styles Situations Effectiveness
Contingency Theory Approach
Why “contingency?”
based on how well the leader’s style fits the context To understand performance you must understand the situations in which one leads.
Concerned with
Contingency Theory Approach
leader-match theory
Effective leadership
contingent on matching a leader’s style to the right setting
Leadership Styles
Leadership styles are described as:
Task motivated goal achievement Relationship motivated developing close interpersonal relationships
Least Preferred Co-Worker or LPC
Used to measure leader style Measures your style by having you describe a coworker with whom you had difficulty completing a job.
Not necessarily someone you don’t like
Situational Variables
Determine favorableness of various situations in organizations.
Three situation factors
group atmosphere degree of confidence & loyalty attraction of followers for leader degree to which task requirements are clear & defined designates the amount of authority a leader has to reward or punish followers
Leader-Member Relations (LMR)
Positive atmosphere Subordinates trust, like and get along with leader Unfriendly atmosphere Friction exists within group
Task Structure (TS)
Structured
Gives leader more control Requirements clearly stated & known Few alternatives Clearly demonstrated task Limited number of correct solutions Example:
Unstructured
Lessens the leaders control No clear rules Many alternatives Correctness cannot be verified No best way Example:
Position Power (PP)
Includes legitimate power
Strong
Hire or fire or give raises in rank and pay
Weak
Limited ability to reward or punish
Contingency Model
Situational Variables High Structure Low Structure High Structure Low Structure Strong Power Weak Power Strong Power Weak Power Strong Power Weak Power Strong Power Weak Power 1 2 Low LPCs 3 Middle LPCs 4 5 6 High LPCs Preferred Leadership Style 7 8 Low LPCs
Situational Variables
Favorable
Situations going smoothly
Moderately favorable
Situations with some degree of certainty; not completely in or out of leader’s control
Unfavorable
Situations out of control
Most favorable
Good LMR Defined TS Strong PP
Least favorable
Poor LMR Defined TS Weak PP
Moderately favorable
Falls between 2 extremes
Eight categories
Task orientation LMR - TS - PP good-structured-strong Relationship orientation LMR – TS – PP good–unstructured–weak good–structured-weak good–unstructured–strong poor–unstructured-strong poor–unstructured-weak poor–structured–strong poor–structured-weak
Interpretation of ineffective leaders Fiedler (1995)
Leader working in the wrong situation experiences stress & anxiety Leader reverts to less mature ways of coping Results in poor decision making Negative work outcomes