Foundations of Leadership Studies

Foundations of Leadership Studies
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Trait theories
Behavioral theories
Situational/contingency theories
 Fiedler's Contingency Model
 Path-Goal Theory
 Hersey-Blanchard Situational Theory
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Leader Effectiveness = f (leader style, situation favorability)
 Group performance is a result of
interaction of two factors.
▪ Leadership style
▪ Situational favorableness
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It suggests that an effective group depends
on a proper match between a leader’s style of
interacting with the subordinates and the
degree to which the situation gives control
and influence to the leader.
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Leadership Style
 This is the consistent system of
interactions that takes place between a
leader and work group.
 An individual's leadership style depends
upon his or her personality and is, thus,
fixed
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Fielder developed LPC (Least Preferred CoWorker) questionnaire which was an
instrument to measure whether a person is
task or relationship oriented
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The least-preferred coworker (LPC) scale
classifies leadership styles.
 Describe the one person with whom he or she
worked the least well with.
 From a scale of 1 through 8, describe this
person on a series of bipolar scales:
Unfriendly 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Friendly
Uncooperative 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Cooperative
Hostile 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Supportive
Guarded 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Open
Relationship oriented:
A high LPC score suggests that the leader has a human
relations orientation
Task oriented:
A low LPC score indicates a task orientation.
Fiedler's logic:
Individuals who rate their least preferred coworker in a
favorable light derive satisfaction out of interpersonal
relationship; those who rate the coworker unfavorably get
satisfaction out of successful task performance
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Situation Favorability
 The degree a situation enables a leader to exert
influence over a group
 The focus is on three key situational factors
▪ Leader-member relations
▪ Task structure
▪ Position power
Findings of the Fiedler Model
Good
Performance
Task-Oriented
Relationship
-Oriented
Poor
Favorable
• Category
• Leader-Member
Relations
• Task Structure
• Position Power
Unfavorable
Moderate
I
II
Good
III
Good
IV
Good
V
Poor
VI
Poor
VII
Poor
VIII
Poor
Good
High
Strong
High
Weak
Low
Strong
Low
Weak
High
Strong
High
Weak
Low
Strong
Low
Weak
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1. The favorableness of leadership situations should be assessed
2. Candidates for leadership positions should be evaluated using the LPC
scale
3. If a leader is being sought for a particular leadership position, a leader
with the appropriate LPC profile should be chosen
4. If a leadership situation is being chosen for a particular candidate, a
situation should be chosen which matches his/her LPC profile
Leadership style is effective on the basis of
how successfully leaders support their
subordinates’ perceptions of:
.
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Goals that need to be achieved
Rewards for successful performance
Behaviors that lead to successful performance
Premise
• Leader must help followers
attaining goals and reduce
roadblocks to success
•Leaders must change behaviors to
fit the situation (environmental
contingencies & subordinate
contingencies)
Leaders can influence subordinates’ motivation by:
1. Teaching employees competencies needed
2. Tailoring rewards to meet employees’ needs
3. Acting to support subordinates’ efforts
1. A leader’s behavior is acceptable and satisfying
to subordinates to the extent that they view it as
either an immediate source of satisfaction
or as an instrument to some future satisfaction.
2. A leader’s behavior will increase subordinates’
efforts if it links satisfaction of their needs to
effective performance and supports their
efforts to achieve goals.
Directive behavior
(task-oriented)
Supportive behavior
(employee-oriented)
Participative behavior
(employee-oriented)
Achievement-oriented behavior
(employee-oriented)
Personal Characteristics of Subordinates
Abilities
Personal Needs
and Motivations
Self-Confidence
Perception of
Leaders
Work Environment
Culture and
Subculture
Policies
and Rules
Management
Philosophy
Exercise of
Power
Structure
of Tasks
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Leaders need to choose a leadership style
that best fits the needs of subordinates
and the task they are doing.
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It specifies four conceptually distinct varieties
of leadership
Explains how task and subordinate
characteristics affect the impact of leadership
The framework provided in path-goal theory
informs leaders about how to choose an
appropriate leadership style.
It attempts to integrate the motivation
principles into a theory of leadership.
Provides a practical model
It is very complex.
 It has received only partial support from the
many empirical research studies that have
been conducted to test its validity.
 It fails to explain the relationship between
leadership behavior and worker motivation.
 This approach treats leadership as a one-way
event-the leader affects the subordinate.
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