Lecture9 Contingency

7/31/2019 Lecture9 Contingency

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Leadership 201

Foundations of Leadership

Studies


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Theoretical Perspectives on Leadership:

The Contingency/Situational Approaches

Situational

TheoryPathGoal

Theory

Contingency

Model


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Where Are We Now?

Trait theories

Behavioral theories

Situational/contingency theories

Fiedler's Contingency Model

Path-Goal Theory

Hersey-Blanchard Situational Theory (next

class)


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Fiedler's Contingency Theory of Leadership

Leader Effectiveness = f (leader style, situation

favorability)

Group performance is a result of interactionof two factors.

Leadership style

Situational favorableness


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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


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Least Preferred Coworker (LPC)

The least-preferred coworker (LPC) scaleclassifies 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

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.

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

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


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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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??

LowLPCs

High LPCsLowLPCs

Leader-MemberRelations

Task Structure

PositionPower

PreferredLeadershipStyle

Contingency Model

1

Strong

2

Weak

High

3

Strong

4

Weak

Low

Good

5

Strong

6

Weak

High

7

Strong

8

Weak

Low

Poor


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Fielders 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 leadershipposition, 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 & Mitchells PathGoal Theory

Leadership style is effective on the basis ofLeadership style is effective on the basis of

how successfully leaders support theirhow successfully leaders support their

subordinates perceptions of:subordinates perceptions of:

Goals that need to be achieved

Rewards for successful performance

Behaviors that lead to successful performance


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House & Mitchells PathGoal 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 PathGoal Theory

1. A leaders behavior is acceptable and satisfyingto 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 leaders 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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PathGoal Theory Leadership Behavior

Instrumental behavior(task-oriented)

Instrumental behavior(task-oriented)

Supportive behavior(employee-oriented)

Supportive behavior(employee-oriented)

Achievement-oriented behavior(employee-oriented)

Achievement-oriented behavior

(employee-oriented)

Participative behavior(employee-oriented)

Participative behavior(employee-oriented)


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PathGoal Theory Situational Factors

Personal characteristics of subordinates

Work environment


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Personal Characteristics of Subordinates

AbilitiesAbilities

Self-ConfidenceSelf-ConfidencePersonal Needsand Motivations

Personal Needsand Motivations

Perception ofLeaders

Perception ofLeaders


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Work Environment

Exercise ofPower

Exercise ofPower

Culture andSubculture

Culture andSubculture

Policiesand Rules

Policies

and RulesStructureof Tasks

Structure

of Tasks

ManagementPhilosophy

ManagementPhilosophy


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Choosing a Leadership Style

Leaders need to choose a leadership style that

best fits the needs ofsubordinates and the task

they are doing.


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Path-Goal Theory

T a s k C h a

S u b o r d i n a t e

L e a d e r B e

D i r e c t i v e , S u p

P a r t i c i p a t i v e , A c h i

Subordinates Goals/ProductivityMotivation


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Applying Fiedlers 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 Fiedlerstheory?


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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


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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 andexperience, 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 leadershipThe framework provided in path-goal theory

informs leaders about how to choose an

appropriate leadership style.

It attempts to integrate the motivation principlesinto 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.

Documents

Lecture9 Contingency