Leadership is often situational in
its effectiveness and outcomes. When a leader’s traits match the requirements of
a situation a positive result can occur. Fielder’s Model of Leadership helps
put within proper context how leadership traits mix with a motivational type to
determine the effectiveness of a leader within a particular contextual
situation. Crises situations call for one approach while periods of rest require
another to develop maximum optimal behavior.
Fielder’s model of leadership is one
the oldest leadership models around. It follows a couple of beliefs:
The performance of a leader depends
on two interrelated factors: 1) the degree to which the situation gives the
leader control and influence-that is, the likelihood that the leader can successfully
accomplish the job; and 2) the leader’s basic motivation-that is, whether
self-esteem depends primarily on accomplishing the task or on having close
supportive relationships with others (Axtell, 1991).
Fielder believed that individuals
have a single leadership style that maintains consistently throughout their
lives. This includes either relationship orientation or task orientation. Each
style influences how leaders act and solve problems that make them successful.
The style doesn’t necessarily take into account those people who can be either
task or relationship orientated depending on the situation.
Crisis Leaders
Under high stress situations some leaders
focus on relationships which can cause improper decisions based upon a misalignment
of leadership style (Fiedler
and Garcia, 1987). During a crisis situation the focus on tasks is more effective
than a relationship approach. Overcoming
a crisis requires quickly executed tasks that accomplish specific goals to
overcome the problem. Relationships and the social subtleties that make up those
relationships temporarily go on the back-burner until the crisis is over.
Peace
Time Leaders
In
low stress situations the relationship orientated approach is more important in
accomplishing organizational objectives. It is these relationships that create social
cohesion and togetherness in managing an organization. According to Gannon
(1982) relationship leaders are effective when 1.) Leader-member relationships
are strong, 2.) the task is unstructured, and 3.) when positional power is
weak. Such leadership flourishes in highly intellectual organizations where
freedom of thought is needed to be productive.
As
task oriented focus or people oriented focus are considered relatively stable
traits that exist over a person’s lifetime, it is necessary to choose the right
style of leader to handle difficult situations.
"In Fiedler's model, leadership effectiveness is the result of
interaction between the style of the leader and the characteristics of the environment
in which the leader works" (Gray & Starke, 1988). In other words, the
situation and the leadership traits must match for optimal performance. When the environment requires one style of
leadership over the other it would not be wise to use the wrong leader.
It
is important to remember that effective leadership is not gender specific. Research
has lent credibility to the concept that the Contingency Model of leadership applies
to both males and females equally (Rice, Bender, & Vitters, 1982). The
right leader for a situation is more closely akin to the personality style of
that leader versus any physical characteristics.
In today’s world, the concept of leadership
has expanded to include new forms, models and people. Fielder’s Contingency
Model still stands as one of the central lenses to understanding and predicting
the effectiveness of future leadership styles in both the workplace and crisis
situations. It is through understanding these models and traits that
organizational decision makers can develop and place appropriate leaders to
handle specific difficult situations.
Axtell, R. (1991). Gestures: the do’s and taboos of body
language around the world. NY: John Wiley & Sons.
Fiedler,
F. and Garcia, J. (1987) New
Approaches to Leadership, Cognitive Resources and Organizational Performance,
New York: John Wiley and Sons.
Gannon,
M. (1982). Management: An Integrated Framework. Boston: Little, Brown.
Gray,
Jerry L., and Frederick A. Starke. Organizational
Behavior: Concepts and Applications. Columbus, Ohio: Merril.
Kinicki,
A. & Kreitner, R. (2009). Organizational
Behavior: Key concepts, skills & practices (fourth edition).
McGraw-Hill Company.
Rice,
R., Bender, L., Vitters, A. (1982). Testing the validity of contingency model
for female and male leaders. Basic &
Applied Social Psychology, 3 (4).
