Theories and Models of Leadership

Question 1

Contingency Theory

Fiedler

Answer 1

Fiedler’s contingency theory proposed: leader effectiveness is result of an interaction between the leader’s style and the favorableness of the situation.

1. Leader’s Style: fixed and assessed with Fiedler’s least preferred coworker (LPC) scale.
2. high LPC: one who describes a least preferred coworker in favorable terms!
   
   1. relationship-oriented and wants to maintain supportive and trusting relationships with subordinates.
3. low LPC: one who describes a least preferred coworker in unfavorable terms
   
   1. is task-oriented and most focused on goal achievement.
4. Situational favorableness: amount of influence and power a leader has.
   
   1. nature of the leader’s relationships with subordinates: positive relationships, leader has greater influence
   2. nature of the task: highly structured task, the greater the leader’s influence.
   3. leader’s position power: the greater # of rewards the leader can use, the more influence she has.

Question 2

Leader Style vs. Situational Favorableness

Answer 2

relationship between a leader’s style and the favorableness of the situation is curvilinear:

1. low LPC leaders performing best in very unfavorable and very favorable situations.
2. low LPC leaders are most effective when the situation provides them with either very little or a great deal of influence.
   1. “Take it or leave it/All or nothing”
3. high LPC leaders performing best in moderately favorable situations.
4. high LPC leaders are most effective in situations that allow moderate levels of influence.
   
   1. “let’s all get along/Meet in the middle”

Question 3

Cognitive Resource Theory

Answer 3

Cognitive Resource Theory

1. extension and modification of Fiedler’s contingency theory to explain why no relationship between leader IQ and effectiveness.
2. proposes that impact of leader’s intelligence and experience on the leader’s performance is moderated by the stressfulness of the situation which is task dependent and characteristics of the subordinants:
   
   1. low stress: leader IQ is more predictive of performance than experience
      
      1. because leaders is better able to apply his judgement, problem solving skills and other cognitive resources to the task with low stress.
   2. **high stress: **leader’s experience is more predictive of performance than his intelligence.
      
      1. stress interfers with the leader’s ability to use cognitive resources

Question 4

Path-Goal Theory

House’s

Answer 4

Path-Goal Theory (Dr. House)

1. House proposes that an effective leader is one who can help carve out a path for subordinates to allow them to fulfill personal goals through the achievement of group and organizational goals.

House said a leader’s primary function are:

1. clarifying goals and the paths that lead to achievement.
2. provide rewards to subordinates through support and attention to their needs.
3. leaders adops either a directive, supportive, paricipative or achievement -oriented leadership style to perform these functions.
   
   1. style depends on the characteristics of the employee (ability level/locus of control) AND the work environment (task structure/authority system).
   2. difficult task + workers are experienced and prefer to have control = achievement style
   3. task unstructured + workers inexperienced = more directive style is good

Question 5

situational leadership

Hersey and Blanchard

Answer 5

Situational Leadership

Hersey & Blanchard: distinguishes between 4 leadership styles that are each characterized by

task- and relationship-orientation combinations.

1. telling leader: high task, low relationship is best for employees who are low in both ability and willingness.
2. selling leader: high task, high relationship style and best for employees with low ability and high willingness.
3. **participating leader: **low task, high relationship style and is best for employees with high ability and low willingness.
4. **delegating leader: **low task, low relationship style and is best for emplyees with are high in both ability and willingness.

proposes that the appropriate style depends on the subordinate’s job maturity, which is combination of ability and willingness to accept responsibility.

Question 6

Normative Decision-Making Model

Vroom-Yetton-Jago

Answer 6

Normative Decision-Making Model

focuses on a leader’s decision-making style and distinguishes between 5 basic decision making strategies wich vary depending on which employees participate in decision-making.

1. AI (autocratic): leader makes decisions alone
2. AII (autocratic): leader seeks input from employees but then makes the final decision.
3. CI (consultative): leader explains the problem to each employee on a one-to-one basis, but decision may or may not reflect input from employees.
4. CII (consultative): the leader explains the problem to employees as a group, but decision may or may not reflect input from employees
5. G (group): the leader explains the problem to the group and the group decides.

which model used depends on the situation.

decision tree provides 8 questions in order to choose which one to use!

Question 7

Transformational Leaders

Answer 7

Transformational Leaders

1. Able to recognize the need for change, create a vision that guides that change, and to accomplish the change effectively.
2. empower employees, raise their consciousness through appeals to morality and justice, and inspire by providing a vision and a sense of mission.
   
   1. Framing: defines the organization’s goals and activities in ways that make them more meaningful.
3. The opposite is Transactional Leaders: focus on stability than change, emphasize behaviors related to normal work-related activities, and rely on rewards and punishments and appeals to the self-interest of employees to motivate them.