- theories of leadership that consider the leadership effectiveness of
particular behaviours or behavioural styles to be contingent on the nature
of the leadership situation
Fiedler's Contingency Theory
- distinguished between task-oriented
leaders who are authoritarian and value
group success and relationship-oriented
leaders who are relaxed and friendly
Least preferred co-worker scale (LPC) -
scale for measuring leadership style in
terms of favourability of attitude towards
ones least preferred co-worker
High LPC scores means that
the respondent felt favourably
inclined towards a fellow
member (indicated a
relationship oriented style
Effective when
situational
control lies in
the middle
Low LPC scores means that
the respondent was harsh on a
poorly performing co-worker,
indicating a task-oriented style
Effective when
situational
control is high or
low
Normative Decision Theory
- a contingency theory of leadership that focuses
on the effectiveness of different leadership styles
in group decision-making contexts
Autocratic
leader -
subordinate
input is not
sought
Consultative -
subordinate input is
sought, but the
leader retains the
authority to make the
final decision
Group decision making
leaders - leader and
subordinates are equal
partners in a truly shared
decision making process
Path Goal Theory
- a contingency theory of leadership that can
also be classified as a transactional theory. It
focuses on how structuring and consideration
behaviours motivate followers
Rests on the assumption that a
leader's main function is to
motivate followers by clarifying
the paths that will help them
reach their goals