Contingency Leadership Model

 In 1951, Fred E. Fiedler began to develop the first situational leadership theory. It was the first theory to specify how situational variables interact with leader personality and behavior. He believed that leadership style is a reflection of personality (trait theory-oriented) and behavior (behavioral theory-oriented), and that leadership styles are basically constant. Leaders do not change styles, they change the situation.

The contingency leadership model is used to determine if a person’s leadership style is task- or relationship-oriented, and if the situation (leader–member relationship, task structure, and position power) matches the leader’s style to maximize performance.

 The first major factor in using Fiedler’s model is to determine whether your dominant leadership style is task-motivated or relationship-motivated.  

To determine leadership style, using Fiedler’s model, you must complete the least preferred co worker (LPC) scales. The LPC essentially answers the question, “Are you more task-oriented or relationship-oriented?”

The two leadership styles are

• Task
• Relationship.

After determining your leadership style, determine the situational favorableness.  Situational favorableness refers to the degree to which a situation enables the leader to exert influence over the followers. The more control the leader has over the followers, the more favorable the situation is for the leader.

The three variables are as follows:

• Leader–member relations.  
• Task structure.
• Position power.

The Leadership Continuum Model

 Robert Tannenbaum and Warren Schmidt also developed a contingency theory in the 1950s. They stated that leadership behavior is on a continuum from boss centered to subordinate-centered leadership. Their model focuses on who makes the decisions.

The leadership continuum model is used to determine which one of seven styles to select, based on the use of boss-centered versus subordinate-centered leadership, to meet the situation (boss, subordinates, situation/time) in order to maximize performance.

Before selecting one of the seven leadership styles, the leader must consider the following three forces or variables:

• Boss. 
• Subordinates.
• Situation (time)

The Leadership Continuum Model has distinguished the degree of a leader in either more autocratic or participative.

The following statements (seven styles) are arranged in accordance from autocratic to participative.

1. Leader makes decision and announces it to employees without discussion.
2. Leader makes a decision and sells it to employees.
3. Leader presents ideas and invites employee questions.
4. Leader presents tentative decision subject to change.
5. Leader presents problem, gets suggestions, and makes decision.
6. Leader defines limits and asks employees to make a decision.
7. Leader permits employees to make ongoing decisions within defined limits,

Path-Goal Leadership Model

 The path-goal leadership theory was developed by Robert House, based on an early version of the theory by M. G. Evans, and published in 1971. The path-goal leadership model is used to select the leadership style (directive, supportive, participative, or achievement-oriented) appropriate to the situation (subordinate and environment) to maximize both performance and job satisfaction.

Situational Factors – include the characteristics of task and environmental. The leader needs to support the design of the task. For example, if the task is ambiguous, then the leader might have to give it more structure or an extremely difficult task might call for leader support.

Leadership Styles-– the leader adjusts his style of behavior to the employee and task characteristics so that the employee’s motivation is to excel at their goal as in Directive, Supportive, Participative, and Achievement.

1. Directive: The leader informs her followers on what is expected of them, such as telling them what to do, how to perform a task, and scheduling and coordinating work.
2. Supportive: The leader makes work pleasant for the workers by showing concern for them and by being friendly and approachable.
3. Participative: The leader consults with his followers before making a decision on how to proceed.
4. Achievement: The leader sets challenging goals for her followers, expects them to perform at their highest level, and shows confidence in their ability to meet this expectation.

Contingency Leadership –Prescriptive/Descriptive/ Normative

 Prescriptive Leadership Style guides or directs the activities and behaviors of others toward goals, opportunities, and methods. The leader will define the objective in progress and whose main elements have been developed before a strategy commenced. For example, Leader tells followers exactly which style to use in a given situation.

Descriptive Leadership Style is placed higher value on the content of strategy formulation. The leader cares more about what to decide rather than how to decide. The leader will accept that the decision making environment can be unpredictable so they prefer spontaneous and not to stick with a fixed and unchanging plan. For example, the leader will identify contingency variables and leadership styles without directing which style to use in a given situation

The normative leadership model has a time-driven and development-driven decision tree that enables the user to select one of five leadership styles (decide, consult individually, consult group, facilitate, and delegate) appropriate for the situation (seven questions/variables) to maximize decisions. 

Vroom identified five leadership styles based on the level of participation in the decision by the followers. Vroom adapted them from Tannenbaum and Schmidt’s leadership continuum model, ranging from autocratic to participative styles. Vroom’s five leadership styles :

• Decide
• Consult Individually
• Consult Group
• Facilitate
• Delegate