Chapter 8

Contingency Theories of Effective

Leadership
LPC Contingency Model
CAUSALVARIABLE END-RESULT VARIABLE

Leader's LPC Score Group Performance

SITUATIONAL MODERATOR VARIABLES

Leader-member relations
Leader position power
Task structure

FIGURE 8-1: Causal relationships in the LPC Contingency

Model
 The Path-Goal Theory of
Leadership
CAUSAL VARIABLES INTERVENING VARIABLES
END-RESULT VARIABLES
Leader behavior Subordinate expectancies
Subordinate effort
and valences
and satisfaction

SITUATIONAL MODERATOR VARIABLES

Characteristics of task and environment

Characteristics of subordinates

FIGURE 8-2: Causal relationships in Path-Goal Theory of Leadership

Leadership Substitutes Theory
 Subordinate
Characteristics
 Task Characteristics
 Organization
Characteristics
The Multiple Linkage Model
 Task commitment
 Ability and role clarity
 Organization of the work
 Cooperation and mutual trust
 Resources and support
 External coordination
 Cognitive Resources Theory
SOCIAL STRESS FOR LEADER

LEADER INTELLIGENCE DECISION

QUALITY
LEADER EXPERIENCE

FIGURE 8-6: Primary Causal Relationships in the Cognitive Resources Theory

General Evaluation of
Contingency Theories
 Leader Traits
 Leader Behavior
 Situational Variables
 Intervening Variables
 Validation Results
Applications: Guidelines for
Managers
 Use more planning for a long, complex task.
 Consult more with people who have relevant
knowledge.
 Provide more direction to people with
interdependent roles.
 Provide more direction and briefings when
there is a crisis.
Applications: Guidelines for
Managers
 Monitor a critical task or unreliable person
more closely.
 Provide more coaching to an inexperienced
subordinate.
 Be more supportive to someone with a very
stressful task.
Summary
 The LPC contingency model deals with the
moderating influence of three situational
variables on the relationship between a
leader trait (LPC) and subordinate
performance.
 The path-goal theory examines how aspects
of leader behavior influence subordinate
satisfaction and motivation.
Summary
 Leadership substitutes theory identifies
aspects of the situation that make leadership
behavior redundant or irrelevant.
 The multiple-linkage model describes how
a leader can influence intervening variables
to improve group effectiveness.
Summary
 Cognitive resources theory examines the
conditions under which cognitive resources
such as intelligence and experience are
related to group performance.
Charismatic Leadership

“May the force be with you”

Chapter Goals
 The goal of this chapter is to define
charismatic leadership, review the
research findings on charismatic
leadership, and review two of the
more-popular transformational
leadership theories.
Max Weber
 The most important early research on
charismatic leadership was completed by
Max Weber, who maintained that societies
could be identified in terms of one of three
types of authority systems: traditional,
legal-rational, and charismatic.
Traditional Authority System
 The traditions and unwritten laws of
the society dictate who has authority
and how this authority can be used.
Legal-Rational Authority System

 Authority derives from society’s belief

in the laws that govern it.
Charismatic Authority System
 Authority stems from the society’s
belief in the exemplary characteristics
of the leader.
 Theory of Transformational and
Transactional Leadership

 James McGregor Burns’s Theory of

Transformational and Transactional
Leadership
 focused on the differences between power
versus leadership and charismatic versus non-
charismatic leadership
 Theory of Transformational and
Transactional Leadership
Cont.

 believed that leadership could take one of

two forms: transactional leadership or
transformational leadership
 maintained that power and leadership were
two distinct entities
Transformational Leadership
Transformational leaders use idealized
influence, individualized consideration,
inspirational motivation, and intellectual
stimulation, while transactional leaders
use contingent reward, and active and
passive management by exception.
Common Characteristics of Charismatic and
Transformational Leadership

 Vision
 Rhetorical skills
 Image and trust building
 Personalized leadership
Follower Characteristics
 Identification with the Leader and the
Vision
 Heightened Emotional Levels
 Willing Subordination to the Leader
 Feelings of Empowerment
Situational Characteristics
 Crises
 Task Interdependence
 Innovation
 More Receptive to Change
 Organizational Downsizing
Bass’s Theory of Transformational and
Transactional Leadership
 Transformational leaders possess charismatic-leader
characteristics (vision, rhetorical skills, etc.).
 Transactional leaders do not possess these leader
characteristics, nor are they able to develop strong
emotional bonds with followers or inspire followers
to do more than they thought they could. Instead,
transactional leaders motivate followers by setting
goals and promising rewards for desired
performance.
Perspectives on Charisma
 The Sociological Approach
 1. Extraordinary, almost magical talents
 2. Crisis situation
 3. Radical vision
 4. Followers
 5. Validation of leader through repeated
success
Guidelines for Transformational
Leadership
 Articulate a clear and appealing vision.
 Explain how the vision can be attained.
 Act confident and optimistic.
 Express confidence in followers.
 Use dramatic, symbolic actions to emphasize key
values.
 Lead by example.
 Empower people to achieve the vision.
Perspectives on Charisma
 The Psychoanalytic Approach
 Intense attraction
 Regression
 Transference
 Projection

What does this say for the followers and for positive
leaders?
Perspectives on Charisma
 The Political Approach
 Types of charismatic leaders:
 Charismatic giants
 Charismatic luminaries
 Charismatic failures
 Charismatic aspirants
Perspectives on Charisma
 Charismatic leaders increase their power:
 Cultural myths
 Public address
 Concentric circles
Perspectives on Charisma
 The Behavioral Approach
 Leader behaviors
 Leader-follower relations
 The situation
Perspectives on Charisma
 The Attribution Approach
 1. Possess a vision that is unique, but
attainable
 2. Act in an unconventional, counter-
normative way
 3. Personal commitment & risk
 4. Confidence & expertise
 5. Personal Power
Perspectives on Charisma
 The Communication Approach
 Relationship builders
 Visionaries
 Influence agents
Perspectives on Charisma
 The Dark Side
 Differences in:
 Power
 Vision
 Relationship to followers
 Communication
 Ethics & Morals
The Dark Side at Work
 Failures of vision
 Misarticulation of goals
 Poor management

 Who are the charismatic leaders we can

agree on?