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Analyze the strengths and weaknesses of contingency theory
Strengths and weaknesses of contingency theory
Analyze the strengths and weaknesses of contingency theory
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Contingency theory though developed by some researchers in Ohios University in 1940s but, it was popularized by Fiedler in 1967. The theory according to Fiedler (F1967) saw leadership behavior as a functions of three situational factors: leader–member relations which is the degree of confidence, trust, and respect members have in their leader; task structure which is the degree to which the job assignments are procedurized (that is, structured or unstructured); and position power which is the degree of influence a leader has over power variables such as hiring, firing, discipline, promotions, and salary increases.
Alignment with this, the following mathematical model: SL=F (L, F, and S), where SL is successful leadership, F is function of and L, F, S, are the leader, the follower and the situations respectively have increasingly gain ground in explaining leadership
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Deluga (2016) also indicated that when compared to employee’s orientation in U.S., China and some other countries, the employees in French have a more bureaucratic view of leaders and are less likely to expect them to be humane and considerate. These orientations of employees in France however differ from the values/orientation of employees in Brazilian employees as Deluga (2016) findings suggested that expatriates manager leading a team in Brazil would need to be team oriented, participative, and humane as this will make them to succeed best in this
2) “Attitude reflects leadership, captain”. That shows that Julius is satisfied by the way his captain is thinking. Managerial leadership has influenced organizational activities in many ways. These influences include motivating subordinates, budgeting scarce resources, and serving as a source of communication. We are referring to the LPC contingency theory. "The first and perhaps most popular, situational theory to be advanced was the ‘Contingency Theory of Leadership Effectiveness' developed by Fred E. Fiedler" (Bedeian, Glueck 504). This theory explains that group performance is a result of interaction. (Online reviews)
In the context of the Situational model leadership theory, there are three identifiable weaknesses in my leadership practice. These weaknesses represent shortcomings in my role as a leader and might prevent my team from fully executing the organization’s mission. The three weaknesses are:
Chapter 12.3 discusses approaches to leadership. The leadership theory of Leader-Member Exchange suggests that “leaders adopt different behaviors with individual subordinates and that the particular behavior pattern of the leader develops over time and depends, to a large extent, on the quality of the leader-subordinate relationship” (Landy & Conte, 2013, p. 494). In essence, this leadership theory references how close the leader is with the staff member. Is there a feeling of trust? Is the staff member one that holds expertise in their role that the leader can rely on? Building a relationship with a staff member doesn’t happen instantly. The relationship grows over time which can result in staff members being a close confidante to the
According to Dr. Karlene Kerfoot, “research tells us that the leadership traits of the person in charge work either as a magnet to attract, retain, and inspire or as a force that repels” (Kerfoot 2006, p. 25) and in support of this statement she makes reference to the fact that many persons go to work for a specific company with enthusiasm and eagerness and ultimately leave disappointed because of the management. “People are generally hungry for personalized leadership that speaks to their hearts”, says Dr.Kerfoot and this type of leadership motivates them to accomplish task and complete projects they deem difficult or impossible (Kerfoot 2006, p. 25)
Situational leadership is a theory which was designed in 1969 by Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard. The “contingency theories of leadership” states that a leader’s effectiveness is dependent on their behaviours in relation to different situational factors. Thus, situational leadership theory, relates to how a leader 's effectiveness is depend on their ability to adjust their leadership behaviour to the required level of the “followers” capability or if the situation is modified.
In this theory leadership style changes as needed to ensure that the goal is achieved (Huber, 2014). Each situation may need to be addressed differently, which requires flexibility by all involved, especially leadership. Managers need to evaluate every individual to understand what they are capable of and how they fit the needs of the institution and or situation (Nash, 2015). As a nurse I think this is a very important trait for a leader to have because of how quickly things change and how we must work within our environment. For example, in healthcare we sometimes have to allow others to take control of a situation on to ensure the best possible outcome for each patient. In addition, the manager needs to ensure that each person works within the scope of their practice, functions at the highest level allowed and completes their tasks. To be a successful leader in healthcare and achieve desired outcomes requires a high level of flexibility by leadership. I would also say that the contingency theory would also fit into my leadership style. The basis premise of this theory is that each situation is different and leadership needs to take that into account when managing a situation (Huber, 2014). At times a leader needs to look at the bigger picture and incorporate that in their decision making process. When looking at a specific situation taking input from all parties involved can lead to a more effective solution. We can learn a lot form those around us and need to take that in account to be an effective
(Schermerhorn, 2012) defines Contingency thinking, “Recognizes that management practices must be tailored to fit the exact nature of each situation” (p.6). The research suggests that Trader Joe’s management is very formulaic in their approaches from defining and maintaining company culture to site location and advertising methods. Daft, R. L. (2015) States, The idea behind contingency theories is that leaders can analyze their behavior to improve leadership effectiveness” (p.17).
When people think of leadership so many things rush through their heads. For example am I a leader, am I apart of a group that has a leader, and what does being a leader mean? A common definition of being a leader is a person who leads or guides a group of people. So now knowing the definition of a leader who pops into your head; Phil Jackson, Mike Krzyzewski, Martin Luther King Jr.? All of these people are great leaders, but the real question is why are they so great? One very important thing that all these men have in common is they have a philosophy of leadership. This philosophy is going to help guide these men during turbulent times, or when they need guidance themselves. Nobody is perfect and everyone needs direction no matter how wise or gifted you are. I am no different, which is why writing this philosophy of leadership is going to be a fruitful experience for years to come.
Fiedler’ model is considered the first highly visible theory to present the contingency approach. It stated that effective groups depend on a proper match between a leader’s style of interacting with subordinates and the degree to which the situation gives control and influence to the leader (Fiedler, 1967). Fiedler argued that the leadership style could be indentified by taking a Least Preferred Co-worker (LPC) questionnaire he designed. When evaluating a least enjoyed co-worker, a relationship oriented leader scores high in LPC, while a task oriented leader scores low. Fiedler identified three contingency or situational dimensions: leader-member relations, task structure, and position power. A leader will have more control if he has better leader-member relations, high structured job, and stronger position power. The task-oriented leaders perform best in situations of high and low control, while relationship-oriented leaders perform best in moderate control situations. Feedler views an individual’s leadership style as fixed. To assure leader effectiveness, either situation needs to change to fit the leader or the leader needs to be replaced to fit the situation. But in reality, a leader can not use a homogeneous style to treat all their followers in a similar fashion in their work unit (Robbins & Judge, 2011, p. 382).
“Situational theory tends to focus more on the behaviours that the leader should adopt, given situational factors (often about follower behaviour), whereas contingency theory takes a broader view that includes contingent factors about leader capability and other variables within the situation”
In the contingency leadership theories both the task and the follower’s characteristics are used to determine which behavior is better suited for effective leadership. Within the contingency approach are several factors to consider: the quality of relationships, tasks and activities to be performed, perceptions of the leader based on history, the motivation of both the leader and the follower, and personal characteristics influencing the situation (Leadership Theories and Studies, 2009). The first contingency leadership theories studies were conducted by Fred Fiedler, a leadership researcher and the earliest pioneer in the field of contingency leadership, who focused on how situational variables interact with leader personality and behavior (Contingency Approach to Management, 2009); from these studies he developed the contingency leadership model. The contingency leadership model is used to determine whether a person’s leadership style is task– or relationship-oriented, and if the situation (leader-member relationships, task structure and position power) matches the leader’s style to maximize performance (Lussier & Achua, 2010). Fielder discovered that leadership effectiveness was dependent on the factors of the leader–follower relationship, task structure, and leader position.
We can divide the theories that deal with leadership in 3 chronological groups. First were the trait theories. Until the 1940's, research in the field of leadership was dominated by these theories. Second came the behavioral theories which were very influent until the late 1960's. Finally, contingency theories are the most modern theories about leadership.
There are many different types of theories on leadership. There is Fiedler’s contingency theory, situational theories of leadership and House’s path-goal theory. These theories are used to make an individual or manager a more effective leader. They can be used as a guide for individuals and help them achieve whatever goal is set out by their organization or group.
According to (Uhl-Bien, Schermerhorn & Osborn, p. 306, 2014) contingency approach is the relationship between leader behavior and leadership effectiveness depends on the situation.
According to Wart (2013), this theory states that leaders can succeed in instituting changes in structure, procedure, ethos, technology, or production (557-558). From this, we can gather that some people are better at being leaders during a transitional part of a company. When a company is going through changes either through infrastructure, how they operate or adapting to technological changes, there has to be someone in charge in order to keep order and structure during these times. This might be a chaotic time period for the company and without a strong leader at the helm, it can go bad really quickly. An example of this could be when the internet was starting to take off in the United States. During this change in technology companies had to quickly adapt and change how they operated. No longer would they just be local or get the word of mouth about their products through the news or word of mouth. Now they had new venues to spread the word and sell their products. Several studies have been done over the past few years on leaders under this theory and the results show that they share some characteristics that are not often found under other theories. Some of these theories include according to Wart(2013), energy, determination, vision, and risk taking (558). This is interesting because our world is constantly changing and people need to adapt or risk being irrelevant. Also without having the energy or drive a company can falter and lose customers. It is why leaders should always strive and continue to try new things, reach new heights, and never being satisfied with their current