FIEDLER’S CONTINGENCY THEORY

• People become leaders not only because of their personality attributes but also because of various situational factors & interactions between leaders & group members.

• Fielder’s critical dimensions of the leadership situation.Position powerTask structureLeader – 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 LEADERSHIPFIEDLER (65)

LEADER CHARACTERISTICS (Least-Preferred Coworker Scale)HIGH LPC --- EMPLOYEE RELATIONS ORIENTEDLOW LPC --- TASK ORIENTED

SITUATIONAL CONSIDERATIONSLEADER-MEMBER RELATIONSTASK STRUCTURELEADER POSITION POWER

FAVORABLE LEADER SITUATIONSMOST FAVORABLE - - - - - - - - - - - - - LEAST

FAVORABLELEADER-MEMBER RELATIONS G G G G N N N NTASK STRUCTURE G G N N G G N NLEADER POSITION POWER G N G N G N G N

EFFECTIVE STYLE TASK EMPLOYEE TASK

FIEDLER’S CONTRIBUTIONS1. LEADER EFFECTIVENESS IS SITUATIONAL2. TASK LEADERSHIP IS VALUABLE AND IMPORTANT3. MODIFY SITUATIONS TO FIT THE LEADER’S STYLE

FIEDLER’S CONTINGENCY THEORY

PATH-GOAL THEORY OF LEADERSHIPHOUSE & MITCHELL (74)

SITUATIONAL FACTORSCHARACTERISTICS OF SUBORDINATES

LOCUS OF CONTROLEXPERIENCEPERCEIVED ABILITY

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ENVIRONMENTTASK STRUCTUREFORMAL AUTHORITY SYSTEMWORK GROUP

LEADER STYLESDIRECTIVE/INSTUMENTALSUPPORTIVEACHIEVEMENT-ORIENTEDPARTICIPATIVE

THE LEADER COMPENSATES FOR THINGS LACKING IN EITHER THE EMPLOYEE OR THE WORK SETTING TO HELP THE WORKER PERFORM EFFECTIVELY

PATH-GOAL THEORY OF LEADERSHIPHOUSE & MITCHELL (74)

SITUATIONAL FACTORSCHARACTERISTICS OF SUBORDINATES

LOCUS OF CONTROLEXPERIENCEPERCEIVED ABILITY

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ENVIRONMENTTASK STRUCTUREFORMAL AUTHORITY SYSTEMWORK GROUP

LEADER STYLESDIRECTIVE/INSTUMENTALSUPPORTIVEACHIEVEMENT-ORIENTEDPARTICIPATIVE

THE LEADER COMPENSATES FOR THINGS LACKING IN EITHER THE EMPLOYEE OR THE WORK SETTING TO HELP THE WORKER PERFORM EFFECTIVELY

PATH-GOAL LEADERSHIP STYLESDIRECTIVE/INSTRUMENTAL

LETS SUBORDINATES KNOW WHAT IS EXPECTEDPLANS AND SCHEDULES WORK TO BE DONEGIVES SPECIFIC GUIDANCE -- WHAT SHOULD BE DONE AND HOW IT SHOULD BE DONEMAINTAINS CLEAR STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCE

SUPPORTIVESHOWS CONCERN FOR WELL-BEING OF SUBORDINATESTREATS MEMBERS AS EQUALSDOES LITTLE THINGS TO MAKE THE WORK MORE PLEASANTIS FRIENDLY AND APPROACHABLE

ACHIEVEMENT-ORIENTEDSETS CHALLENGING GOALSEXPECTS SUBORDINATES TO PERFORM AT THE HIGHEST LEVELSEEKS IMPROVEMENT IN PERFORMANCE, WHILE SHOWING CONFIDENCE IN WORKERS

PARTICIPATIVECONSULTS WITH SUBORDINATESSOLICITS SUGGESTIONSTAKES 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 WORKERSDIRECTIVE STYLE (TELLING)

GIVES CLEAR DIRECTION & INSTRUCTIONS TO IMMATURE EMPLOYEESFOLLOWERS ARE UNABLE AND UNWILLING (INSECURE)

COACHING STYLE (SELLING)EXPANDS TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION, HELPS MATURING EMPLOYEES BUILD CONFIDENCE AND MOTIVATIONFOLLOWERS ARE UNABLE, BUT WILLING TO TRY

SUPPORTING STYLE (PARTICIPATING)EMPLOYEE FEEL COMPETENT, ACTIVE TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION STILL NEEDED FOR SHARED DECISIONSFOLLOWERS ARE ABLE BUT APPREHENSIVE

AUTONOMOUS STYLE (DELEGATING)GIVES RESPONSIBILITIES FOR PLANNING AND DECISION MAKING TO HIGHLY MATURE EMPLOYEESFOLLOWERS ARE ABLE AND WILLING

TASK BEHAVIORS START OUT HIGH, AND GRADUALLY DECLINERELATIONSHIP BEHAVIORS START LOW, BUILD, THEN DECLINE AGAIN

AN INTUITIVE THEORY, BUT EMPIRICAL SUPPORT HAS NOT BEEN STRONG

HERSEY AND BLANCHARD SITUATIONAL LEADERSHIP THEORY

Telling

Selling

High

High Low

High

Task Behavior

Deleg

ating

Follower Readiness

Able and unwilling

Able and willing

Unable and willing

Unable and unwilling

Participating