Unit Iv
Unit Iv
• Each looks at defining leadership style and the situation, and attempts to
answer the if-then contingencies.
(1) To define those leadership styles and the different types of situations.
(2) Identify the appropriate combinations of style and situation.
LEADERSHIP
• Fiedler proposed that a key factor in leadership success was an individual’s
basic leadership style, either task oriented or relationship oriented.
• Least-preferred Co-worker Questionnaire (LPC) : To measure a leader’s style.
– Which contains 18 pairs of contrasting adjectives—for example, pleasant–
unpleasant, cold–warm, boring–interesting, or friendly–unfriendly.
– Respondents were asked to think of all the co-workers they had ever had
and to describe that one person they least enjoyed working with by rating
him or her on a scale of 1 to 8 for each of the sets of adjectives.
– If the score is high - the style would be described as relationship oriented.
– If the score is low - style would be labeled as task oriented.
• Fiedler’s research uncovered three contingency dimensions that defined the
key situational factors in leader effectiveness. These were:
– Leader-member relations: The degree of confidence, trust, and respect
employees had for their leader; rated as either good or poor.
– Task structure: The degree to which job assignments were formalized and
structured; rated as either high or low.
– Position power: The degree of influence a leader had over activities such as
hiring, firing, discipline, promotions, and salary increases; rated as either
strong or weak.
LEADERSHIP
LEADERSHIP
2. Situational leadership theory (SLT) by Hersey-blanchard:(How Do
Followers’ Willingness and Ability Influence Leaders?)
• It is a contingency theory that focuses on followers’ readiness.
• Readiness, as defined by Hersey and Blanchard refers to the extent to which
people have the ability and willingness to accomplish a specific task.
• SLT uses the same two leadership dimensions that Fiedler identified: task and
relationship behaviors.
• Hersey and Blanchard go a step further by considering each as either high or low
and then combining them into four specific leadership styles described as
follows:
– Telling (high task–low relationship): The leader defines roles and tells people
what, how, when, and where to do various tasks.
– Selling (high task–high relationship): The leader provides both directive and
supportive behavior.
– Participating (low task–high relationship): The leader and followers share in
decision making; the main role of the leader is facilitating and
communicating.
– Delegating (low task–low relationship): The leader provides little direction or
support.
LEADERSHIP
2. Situational leadership theory (SLT) by Hersey-blanchard:
The final component in the model is the four stages of follower readiness:
• R1: People are both unable and unwilling to take responsibility for doing
something. Followers aren’t competent or confident.
• R2: People are unable but willing to do the necessary job tasks. Followers are
motivated but lack the appropriate skills.
• R3: People are able but unwilling to do what the leader wants. Followers are
competent, but don’t want to do something.
• R4: People are both able and willing to do what is asked of them.
• SLT essentially views the leader-follower relationship as like that of a parent and
a child.
• It acknowledges the importance of followers and builds on the logic that
leaders can compensate for ability and motivational limitations in their
followers.
LEADERSHIP
3. Leader-participation by Victor Vroom and Phillip Yetton : (How
Participative Should a Leader Be?)
• Leader-participation Model that related leadership behavior and participation
to decision making.
• leader behavior must adjust to reflect the task structure.
• The model was a decision tree incorporating 12 contingencies (whose
relevance could be identified by making yes or no choices) and five alternative
leadership styles.
LEADERSHIP
3. Leader-participation by Victor Vroom and Phillip Yetton :
• Leader’s job is to assist followers in attaining their goals and to provide direction or
support needed to ensure that their goals are compatible with the goals of the group
or organization.
• The term path-goal is derived from the belief that effective leaders clarify the path to
help their followers get from where they are to the achievement of their work goals
and make the journey along the path easier by reducing roadblocks and pitfalls.
• Directive leader: Lets subordinates know what’s expected of them, schedules work
to be done, and gives specific guidance on how to accomplish tasks.
• Supportive leader: Shows concern for the needs of followers and is friendly.
• Participative leader: Consults with group members and uses their suggestions before
making a decision.
• Achievement-oriented leader: Sets challenging goals and expects followers to
perform at their highest level.
LEADERSHIP
4. Path-goal by Robert House: (How Do Leaders Help Followers?)
• House assumed that leaders are flexible and can display any or all
of these leadership styles depending on the situation.
• path-goal theory proposes two situational or contingency
variables that moderate the leadership behavior-outcome
relationship:
• Environment : outside the control of the follower.
• personal characteristics: including locus of control, experience,
and perceived ability.
LEADERSHIP
CASE STUDY :