Section A (C2) - Leadership Theories

Question 1

COLT (Conditional Outdoor Leadership Theory)

Answer 1

States that a leader’s effectiveness should be based on the specific situation or how favourable the conditions are.

5 factors:
- Environmental dangers (weather, hazards, risks)
- Individual competence (experience, knowledge, confidence, skills, attitude)
- Group unity (maturity, morale, trust, responsibility, interest, communication)
- Leader proficiency (capabilities, stress, fatigue, judgement
- Decision consequences (clarity and degree of the problem, time to make a decision, available resources

Conditional favorability high:
- conditions are working in favour of the group
- lean toward abdicratic, relationship-focused

Conditional favorability medium:
- some risks, predictability, and challenges
- lean toward democratic, task + relationship-focused

Conditional favorability low:
- conditions are presenting issues
- lean toward autocratic, task-focused

Question 2

Situational Leadership Theory

Answer 2

Leadership should be based on the ‘readiness’ of the group members.

Readiness scale:
- 1, low: members unable and unwilling to do a task, or insecure about it
- 2, medium: members are unable but willing
- 3, medium: members are unwilling but able
- 4, high: members are willing, able and confident

Question 3

Feminist Leadership Theory

Answer 3

• Takes a world-scale perspective, considering social disadvantage and how it relates to a scenario
• How women, the disabled, or ethnic minorities are often excluded within society
• Looks to improve inclusivity of all members, ethics, and removal of power imbalances
• There is no linear, structural approach, based on emotion, empathy, equality and morals
• More transformative, democratic/abdicratic, relationship focused.

Question 4

feminist leadership vs COLT comparitive (3)

Answer 4

APPROACH
- COLT: rational, analytical, and linear approach, set structure, analysis five key factors.
- FEM: less analytical, non-linear, unguided. No set approach.

FOCUS
-COLT: Not v dependable on group dynamics/individual emotions
- FEM: Based on morals, ethics, heuristics, emotions. Far wider, sociological perspective, considering power dynamics, exclusion, ethics, indv. psychology

SCOPE
- COLT: developed specifically for outdoor situations.
- FEM: encompasses a wider scope. Be applied to many scenarios involving a group/indv relationships. Moral system rather than purely for outdoor decision making.