Fiedler’s Situational Theory of Leadership

Leaders should choose between task and relationship leadership behaviors based on the level of situational control.

Situational Control is determined by three factors:

v Leader-member relations—how loyal is the

Group to the leader?

v Task structure--clarity of the task for the followers

v Leader Power—the ability of the leader to reward and punish the followers

According to Fiedler, the leader should vary his/her behavior in the following ways:

v Low Situational Control (bad or new relationship, unclear task, and low ability to reward-punish)= TASK LEADERSHIP

v Moderate Situational control (improving relationship, greater task clarity, and possible rewards/punishment)=

RELATIONSHIP LEADERSHIP

v High Situational Control (strong relationship, clear task, and ability to reward and punish) = TASK LEADERSHIP

HERSEY AND BLANCHARD’S SITUATIONAL APPROACH TO LEADERSHIP

Hersey and Blanchard claim that the leader should adapt his/her leadership behavior based on the readiness of the followers being led.

Readiness is determined by the following:

v Level of motivation

v Willingness and ability to take responsibility

v Experience they have given a situation

According to Hersey and Blanchard, the leader should adapt his/her leadership in the following ways:

v R1 ( low motivation, low responsibility and experience) readiness) = TELLING behavior (High Task/Low Relationship)

v R2 (moderate motivation, some responsibility and emerging experience)= SELLING behavior (High Task/High relationship)

v R3 (high motivation, often taking responsibility, good level of experience) = PARTICIPATING behavior (Low Task/ High Relationship

v R4 (Extremely motivated, consistently demonstrating responsibility and very experienced)= DELEGATING behavior (Low Task/Low Relationship)