FIEDLERS CONTINGENCY THEORY

People become leaders not only because of their personality attributes but also because of various situational factors & interactions between leaders & group members. Fielders critical dimensions of the leadership situation. Position power Task structure Leader member relationship. Two major styles of leadership 1. Task-oriented the leader gains satisfaction from seeing tasks performed. 2. People oriented. ; oriented towards achieving good interpersonal relations & attaining a position of personal prominance.

CONTINGENCY THEORY OF LEADERSHIP

FIEDLER (65) LEADER CHARACTERISTICS (Least-Preferred Coworker Scale) HIGH LPC --EMPLOYEE RELATIONS ORIENTED LOW LPC --TASK ORIENTED SITUATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS LEADER-MEMBER RELATIONS TASK STRUCTURE LEADER POSITION POWER FAVORABLE LEADER SITUATIONS LEADER-MEMBER RELATIONS TASK STRUCTURE LEADER POSITION POWER EFFECTIVE STYLE MOST FAVORABLE - - - - - - - - - - - - - LEAST FAVORABLE G G G G N N N N G G N N G G N N G N G N G N G N TASK EMPLOYEE TASK

FIEDLERS CONTRIBUTIONS 1. LEADER EFFECTIVENESS IS SITUATIONAL 2. TASK LEADERSHIP IS VALUABLE AND IMPORTANT 3. MODIFY SITUATIONS TO FIT THE LEADERS STYLE

FIEDLERS CONTINGENCY THEORY

PATH-GOAL THEORY OF LEADERSHIP

HOUSE & MITCHELL (74)

SITUATIONAL FACTORS
CHARACTERISTICS OF SUBORDINATES
LOCUS OF CONTROL EXPERIENCE PERCEIVED ABILITY

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ENVIRONMENT

TASK STRUCTURE FORMAL AUTHORITY SYSTEM WORK GROUP

LEADER STYLES
DIRECTIVE/INSTUMENTAL SUPPORTIVE ACHIEVEMENT-ORIENTED PARTICIPATIVE
THE LEADER COMPENSATES FOR THINGS LACKING IN EITHER THE EMPLOYEE OR THE WORK SETTING TO HELP THE WORKER PERFORM EFFECTIVELY

PATH-GOAL THEORY OF LEADERSHIP

HOUSE & MITCHELL (74)

SITUATIONAL FACTORS
CHARACTERISTICS OF SUBORDINATES
LOCUS OF CONTROL EXPERIENCE PERCEIVED ABILITY

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ENVIRONMENT

TASK STRUCTURE FORMAL AUTHORITY SYSTEM WORK GROUP

LEADER STYLES
DIRECTIVE/INSTUMENTAL SUPPORTIVE ACHIEVEMENT-ORIENTED PARTICIPATIVE
THE LEADER COMPENSATES FOR THINGS LACKING IN EITHER THE EMPLOYEE OR THE WORK SETTING TO HELP THE WORKER PERFORM EFFECTIVELY

PATH-GOAL LEADERSHIP STYLES

DIRECTIVE/INSTRUMENTAL
LETS SUBORDINATES KNOW WHAT IS EXPECTED PLANS AND SCHEDULES WORK TO BE DONE GIVES SPECIFIC GUIDANCE -- WHAT SHOULD BE DONE AND HOW IT SHOULD BE DONE MAINTAINS CLEAR STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCE

SUPPORTIVE
SHOWS CONCERN FOR WELL-BEING OF SUBORDINATES TREATS MEMBERS AS EQUALS DOES LITTLE THINGS TO MAKE THE WORK MORE PLEASANT IS FRIENDLY AND APPROACHABLE

ACHIEVEMENT-ORIENTED
SETS CHALLENGING GOALS EXPECTS SUBORDINATES TO PERFORM AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL SEEKS IMPROVEMENT IN PERFORMANCE, WHILE SHOWING CONFIDENCE IN WORKERS

PARTICIPATIVE
CONSULTS WITH SUBORDINATES SOLICITS SUGGESTIONS TAKES SUGGESTIONS SERIOUSLY INTO CONSIDERATION BEFORE MAKING DECISIONS

LIFE-CYCLE (MATURITY) THEORY

(SITUATIONAL LEADERSHIP THEORY)

HERSEY & BLANCHARD (77)

LEADER BEHAVIORS NEED TO VARY, DEPENDING ON THE MATURITY OF THE WORKERS DIRECTIVE STYLE (TELLING) GIVES CLEAR DIRECTION & INSTRUCTIONS TO IMMATURE EMPLOYEES FOLLOWERS ARE UNABLE AND UNWILLING (INSECURE) COACHING STYLE (SELLING) EXPANDS TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION, HELPS MATURING EMPLOYEES BUILD CONFIDENCE AND MOTIVATION FOLLOWERS ARE UNABLE, BUT WILLING TO TRY SUPPORTING STYLE (PARTICIPATING) EMPLOYEE FEEL COMPETENT, ACTIVE TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION STILL NEEDED FOR SHARED DECISIONS FOLLOWERS ARE ABLE BUT APPREHENSIVE AUTONOMOUS STYLE (DELEGATING) GIVES RESPONSIBILITIES FOR PLANNING AND DECISION MAKING TO HIGHLY MATURE EMPLOYEES FOLLOWERS ARE ABLE AND WILLING TASK BEHAVIORS START OUT HIGH, AND GRADUALLY DECLINE RELATIONSHIP BEHAVIORS START LOW, BUILD, THEN DECLINE AGAIN AN INTUITIVE THEORY, BUT EMPIRICAL SUPPORT HAS NOT BEEN STRONG

HERSEY AND BLANCHARD SITUATIONAL LEADERSHIP THEORY

High

High

Task Behavior
Able and willing
High

Able and unwilling

Unable and willing

Unable and unwilling

Low

Follower Readiness