1 leadership 201 foundations of leadership studies
TRANSCRIPT
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Leadership 201
Foundations of Leadership Studies
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Theoretical Perspectives on Leadership:
The Contingency/Situational Approaches
SituationalTheory
SituationalTheory
Path–GoalTheory
Path–GoalTheory
Contingency Model
Contingency Model
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Where Are We Now?
▼Trait theories
▼Behavioral theories
▼Situational/contingency theories
– Fiedler's Contingency Model
– Path-Goal Theory
– Hersey-Blanchard Situational Theory (next class)
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Fiedler's Contingency Theory of Leadership
▼ 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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Leadership Style
▼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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Least Preferred Coworker (LPC)
▼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
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Leadership Styles
Relationship oriented:A high LPC score suggests that the leader has a human
relations orientation
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.
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
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
▼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
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Situation Favorability
1. Leader-member relations: The degree to which the employees accept the leader
1. Leader-member relations: The degree to which the employees accept the leader
2. Task structure: The degree to which the subordinates jobs are
described in detail
2. Task structure: The degree to which the subordinates jobs are
described in detail
3. Position power: The amount of formal authority the leader possesses by virtue of his or her position in the organization.
3. Position power: The amount of formal authority the leader possesses by virtue of his or her position in the organization.
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When to Use Which Style??
Low LPCs
High LPCsLowLPCs
Leader-MemberRelations
Task Structure
Position Power
PreferredLeadershipStyle
Contingency Model
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Strong
2
Weak
High
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Strong
4
Weak
Low
Good
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Strong
6
Weak
High
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Strong
8
Weak
Low
Poor
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Fielder’s Contingency Model
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Implications
▼ 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
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House & Mitchell’s Path–Goal Theory
Leadership style is effective on the basis ofLeadership style is effective on the basis ofhow successfully leaders support theirhow successfully leaders support their
subordinates’ perceptions of: subordinates’ perceptions of:
Goals that need to be achieved
Rewards for successful performance
Behaviors that lead to successful performance
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House & Mitchell’s Path–Goal Theory
Leaders can influence subordinates’ motivation by:
1. Teaching employees competencies needed
2. Tailoring rewards to meet employees’ needs
3. Acting to support subordinates’ efforts
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Assumptions of Path–Goal Theory
1. A leader’s behavior is acceptable and satisfyingto 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.
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Path–Goal Theory Leadership Behavior
Instrumental behavior(task-oriented)
Instrumental behavior(task-oriented)
Supportive behavior(employee-oriented)Supportive behavior(employee-oriented)
Achievement-oriented behavior(employee-oriented)
Achievement-oriented behavior(employee-oriented)
Participative behavior(employee-oriented)
Participative behavior(employee-oriented)
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Path–Goal Theory Situational Factors
Personal characteristics of subordinatesPersonal characteristics of subordinates
Work environmentWork environment
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Path–Goal Theory Situational Factors
Personal Characteristics of SubordinatesPersonal Characteristics of Subordinates
AbilitiesAbilities
Self-ConfidenceSelf-Confidence Personal Needsand MotivationsPersonal Needsand Motivations
Perception ofLeaders
Perception ofLeaders
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Path–Goal Theory Situational Factors
Work EnvironmentWork Environment
Exercise ofPower
Exercise ofPower
Culture andSubculture
Culture andSubculture
Policies and RulesPolicies
and RulesStructure of Tasks
Structure of Tasks
ManagementPhilosophy
ManagementPhilosophy
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Choosing a Leadership Style
▼Leaders need to choose a leadership style that best fits the needs of subordinates and the task they are doing.
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Path-Goal Theory
T a sk C h ara c te ris t ics
S u b ord in a te C h ara c te ris t ics
L e a de r B e h av io rsDirective, Supportiv e
Partic ipative, Ach ievem ent O riente d
Subordinates Goals/ProductivityMotivation
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Applying Fiedler’s Contingency Theory
▼Fill out the LPC
– Determine whether you are task or relationship oriented.
▼Think of a leadership situation in which you were not optimally effective and/or one in which you excelled
– Evaluate the situation(s)
– Does your experience support Fiedler’s theory?
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Contingency theory: Strengths
▼Supported by a lot of empirical research
▼Looks at the impact of the situation on leaders
▼ It is predictive
▼ It does not require that people be effective in all situations
▼ It provides a way to assess leader style that could be useful to an organization
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Contingency Theory: Weaknesses
▼Black box: Why?
▼There is some doubt whether the LPC is a true measure of leadership style
▼ It is cumbersome to use
▼Doesn't explain what to do when there is a mismatch between style and situation
▼Other situational variables, like training and experience, have an impact in a leader's effectiveness
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Path Goal Theory: Strengths
▼ 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
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Path Goal Theory: Weaknesses
▼ 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.