Contingency Approach

This resource discusses the Fiedler leadership model, which uses the "Least Preferred Co-worker" (LPC) test to measure leadership traits. Be attentive to the end of the text that examines the criticisms of using this model.

Leadership and Situational Context: Fiedler

Situational Context

The Fiedler model also analyzes the situation in which the leader functions. The situation analysis has three components:

  1. Leader-member relations – the amount of respect, trust, and confidence between leaders and their followers
  2. Task structure – the degree to which group tasks, roles, and processes are specified and formalized
  3. Leader position power – the amount of formal authority leaders have based on their role within the group

When good leader-member relations, a highly structured task, and high leader-position power are in place, the situation is considered a "favorable situation". Fiedler found that low-LPC leaders are more effective in extremely favorable or unfavorable situations, whereas high-LPC leaders perform best in situations with intermediate favorability. Leaders in high positions of power have the ability to distribute resources among their members, meaning they can reward and punish their followers. Leaders with low position power cannot control resources to the same extent as leaders with high position power, and so lack the same degree of situational control. For example, the CEO of a business has high position power, because she is able to increase and reduce the salary that her employees receive. On the other hand, an office worker in this same business has low position power, because although he may be the leader on a new business deal, he cannot control the situation by rewarding or disciplining colleagues with salary changes.