Analysis of Fiedler's Contingency Model in Leadership: A Report

This report delves into the Contingency Approach to Leadership, focusing on Fred Fiedler's model, which posits that effective leadership depends on the interplay between a leader's style and situational factors. The report explains Fiedler's Least Preferred Co-worker (LPC) theory, which assesses a leader's orientation—task-motivated or relationship-motivated—based on their evaluation of their least preferred coworker. It explores how leader-member relations, task structure, and leader's position power influence situational favorability, and how this impacts the effectiveness of different leadership styles. The report highlights that task-oriented leaders perform well in very favorable or unfavorable situations, while relationship-oriented leaders excel in moderately favorable situations. It emphasizes the need for leaders to adapt their approach based on the specific context, rather than relying on a single, rigid style, providing a comprehensive overview of how leadership success is contingent on the demands of the situation.

is successful or not.
Contingency Approach of Leadership
INTRODUCTION
In the mid-1960s the Fiedler Contingency Model of
leadership was developed by Fred Fiedler. In this approach it is
suggested that the success of a leader is not only determined by the
abilities. In between a leader and a situation this style of leadership
will discover the best match. It is a type of management theory that
suggest the most appropriate style of management that is dependent
on the context if the situation and in the long term it is inefficient to
adopt a single, rigid style. The attention is paid by the mangers to
both the situation and their own styles and the efforts are being
made to make sure that they both interact efficiently.
Contingency Approach Leadership
The best match is being discovered by this style of leadership in between a leader and a
situation. To the right setting the effective leadership is contingent on matching the style of
leaser. With the styles and situation contingency theory is concerned and it also matches
effectively with the leader and the situation. The success of leader is a function of various
contingencies in the contingent theory of leadership in the form of subordinate task or group
variables. The effectiveness of a given patterns of a behaviour of leader is contingent upon the
demand that is imposed by the situation. Leadership style can either be task-motivated or
relationship motived in the contingency theory. The task leaders are primary concerned with
attaining the goals. However on the other side the relationship leaders are considered with
developing the close in interpersonal relationship
The three factors the situations can be accessed in the contingency theories\
By assessing the three factors the situations can be accessed in the
contingency theories
Leader-member relations – It refers to the group atmosphere and to the
degree of confidence, loyalty, and attraction that the followers feel for their
leader.
Task-structure - It refers to the degree to which the requirements of a task
are clear and spelled out. In this the path to success has few alternatives, the
completion of the task can be clearly demonstrated etc is included in this.
Position power – It refers to the amount of authority a leader has to reward
or to punish followers.Favourable situations
When there is a positive relationship between the followers and leader, the task is clearly defined,
and there is a clear leader position power then it is defined as the favourable situations.
Unfavourable situations
When there is the disconnect between the followers and leader, task is unclear, and the leader's
position power is unclear then it is termed as unfavourable situation.
The LPC stands for the least preferred co-workers measurement. By the leader the LPC
assessment is being done in order to measure their leadership style preference.
In certain situation contingency leadership will be effective. When the conditions are very
favourable or very unfavourable people who are very task oriented will do well. The leader can
pay attention on the task in favourable situation and not pay attention to the maintenance,
When things are very unfavourable, a task related person can provide order and structure to help
the group get going again.
The leader can pay attention on the relationship mare than on the task when the conditions are in
middle.
Example
In the organization the manager is asked to think of the person they least like to work with and
on a set of questions each involving an 8-point scales they can rate that person. The score of
one would be uncooperative and a scale of 8 will be cooperative. In their work relationship it is
being believed by the Fielder hat people with higher LPC score try to maintain harmony.
However on the other hand people with lower LPC score are motivated to focus on
accomplishment of task
Fiedler's Least Preferred Co-worker (LPC) Theory
In this the leaders are given chances to rate the co-workers they have least enjoyed
working with throughout there professional career on a variety of factors. A relation oriented
leadership style is indicated by a high-score and a task -oriented style is indicated by a low-score.
About the leader, task and member the three factors are identifies. They are as follows-:
Leader-Member Relations: The extent to which the leader has the support and loyalties of
followers and relations with them are friendly and cooperative.
Task structure: The extent to which tasks are standardized, documented and controlled.
Leader's Position-power: The extent to which the leader has authority to assess follower
performance and give reward or punishment.
On the combination of these three the best LPC is dependent mainly. When the leaders-member
relations are poor then in this case generally a high LPC is best.
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Thus summing up the above report it can be concluded that beliefs about the people in
particular whether the leader sees others as positive or negative is being identified by this
approach. It is being recommended that in order to succeed in multiple types of organizations and
work cultures, a leader needs flexibility and a willingness to adapt his approach to the needs of
the business and employees.
References
Fiedler, F.R.E.D., 2015. Contingency theory of leadership. Organizational Behavior 1: Essential
Theories of Motivation and Leadership, 232, pp.01-2015.
De Clercq, D., Bouckenooghe, D., Raja, U. and Matsyborska, G., 2014. Servant leadership and
work engagement: The contingency effects of leader–follower social capital. Human Resource
Development Quarterly, 25(2), pp.183-212.