The Advantages of Fiedler's Contingency

Model
Small Business | Business Planning & St rat egy | Suc c ess Fac t or s
By Nicky LaMarco Updated November 05, 2018

You may be wondering what Fiedler’s Cont ingency Model is and what it has t o do - wit h anyt hing. A
brief overview of t he t heory behind t he model will provide a clear summary of t he idea t hat led t o
developing t he model.

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On t he surface, Fiedler’s Cont ingency t heory is all about leadership. In fact , it is one of many
different kinds of cont ingency t heories t hat profess one t hing: T hat t he success of a leader
depends upon t heir st yle of leadership and on t he kind of cont rol t hat exist s in a sit uat ion.
For a leader t o be effect ive, t he relat ionship bet ween t hat leader and his or her members should
be good, t he t asks t hat exist in t he t eam should have cryst al clear goals, and t he leader should be
able t o pass out bot h punishment s and rewards t o members for t he different t hings t hey do
wit hin t he organizat ion. T hose t hree fact ors need t o be t here in just t he right cont ext and t he
right combinat ion for leadership t o work. Wit hout t hat , t he leader will fail. T he most significant
part of t he t heory is t he Least Preferred Coworker scale t hat was developed by Fiedler. On t his
scale, a leader rat es t he least liked coworkers on some t rait s in a list . T hese t rait s could be
“Cooperat ive”, ”Uncooperat ive”, ”Friendly”, ”Unfriendly”, ”Support ive”, ”Host ile”, ”Open”, ”Guarded”,
and so on.

A Deeper Look at Fiedler’s Contingency Theory

Fiedler’s cont ingency t heory is just a t ype or qualificat ion of cont ingency t heory. T here are many
t ypes of cont ingency t heories out t here and t hey all have a common t hread. Cont ingency t heories
say t hat how effect ive a leader is depends on t he cont ext wit hin which t hey are leading. Basically,
t he effect iveness of t he leader is contingent upon a number of fact ors.

T he fact ors t hat det ermine how effect ive a leader’s leadership will be are many and could pret t y
much be anyt hing. T hey could be t he nat ure of t he t ask t hat has been given t o t he leader, t he
st ruct ure of t he group t hat t he leader is seeking t o lead, t he kinds of people in t hat group, and so
on. In order t o fully underst and t he breadt h and dept h of cont ingency t heories, one would have t o
read about t hem in general.

In order t o gain a bet t er underst anding of Fiedler’s cont ingency t heory, it is necessary t o develop
a focus on a single aspect , at least , of t he sit uat ion bet ween t he leader and t he led. T here is a
slight disadvant age t o t his focus, however, and t hat is t hat it will only highlight a single issue and
not look at t he sit uat ion as a whole. However, it is useful for learning about t he basics of Fiedler’s
cont ingency t heory.
According t o t he t heory, t he personalit y of a leader, t hat is how t hey are psychologically
predisposed, is an import ant fact or in how able t hat leader is t o lead. Apart from t hat , t he t heory
also assert s t hat t here are t hree ot her fact ors t hat det ermine how successful t he sit uat ion
bet ween t he leader and t he led will t urn out .

The kind of t ask t hat has been assigned t o t he leader and t heir t eam is t he first fact or.
How t he group receives t he leader and accept s t hem is t he second fact or.
The abilit y of t he leader t o cont rol t he group is t he t hird fact or.

In t hat case, a Least Preferred Coworker t able is prepared and t he leader needs t o fill it in in order
t o figure out t heir psychological predisposit ion. T he scores are t aken and t hen added t oget her
and averaged t o produce a single score for t he leader. In t his case, when a leader scores highly, it
means t hey have very good relat ions wit h people and so t hey are very able t o socialize wit h and
mot ivat e a t eam t hrough int erpersonal relat ions. When you have such a leader, it doesn’t really
mat t er what t he t ask at hand is and how t he group is st ruct ured. Any lack of st ruct ure can be
more t han made up for by t he leader’s abilit y t o work wit h people. Such leaders are great at
leading t eams of highly independent people which generally don’t have a rigid st ruct ure, such as a
scient ific t eam. In such t eams, t he st ruct ure and t he t asks are not well defined and so t he
accomplishment of t he project relies more on t he int erpersonal relat ions t he leader has wit h t heir
members t han anyt hing else.

T he cont rary sit uat ion is one where t he leader has a low LPC score. In t his case, t he leader will
need a well- defined t ask if t hey are going t o be successful. If t he t ask isn’t manageable or well-
defined, t hen t he leader may fail in t heir dut y. Such leaders wouldn’t be successful in survival
sit uat ions or nat ural disast ers, where int erpersonal relat ions are crucial. Consider t he book Lord of
t he Flies, by William Golding. T he kids in t he book are st randed on an island and event ually begin t o
squabble wit h each ot her. T hey may be kids, but t hey show a lot of qualit ies t hat are cent ral t o
human nat ure when under pressure. When in environment s where t asks are well- st ruct ured and
milit arist ic in nat ure, t he leader doesn’t have t o be personable. T he order is simply t o perform t he
t ask or face t he consequences. Of course, t he followers might like t he leader a lit t le more if t hey
had a bet t er personalit y. However, such a personalit y isn’t necessary. It only becomes a problem
when t he leader begins t o become a t yrant .

LPC Scores
Leaders wit h low LPC scores are pret t y effect ive, even when t he environment isn’t favorable, so
long as t he t asks are well- st ruct ured. T hey are also more assert ive t han t heir high LPC
count erpart s. High LPC leaders t end t o be more effect ive when all t he t hree fact ors are just
right , a kind of Goldilocks effect . According t o Fiedler, t he LPC scores of an individual could be
used t o det ermine whet her t hey were t he most effect ive leader for a given sit uat ion. If t he
leader is able t o exercise cont rol over t he t ask, t he leader- led sit uat ion, and has power t o cont rol
t he t eam, t hen t he leader can be successful in t he leadership environment .

What Are the Advantages of Fiedler’s Model?

T he t heory is ext remely well researched by Fiedler himself and many ot hers t hat came aft er him.
It , t herefore, works in many sit uat ions and can be accurat ely used t o det ermine which sit uat ions
are best for a leader t o lead in. As such it is a popular t heory and is used a lot in t he field of
management .

Rule of Thumb Relevance

Fiedler’s model is simple enough t hat it can be used as a kind of rule of t humb in sit uat ions where
academic rigor is unnecessary and may be unhelpful. All you need t o do is remember t wo rules:
T he leaders who have good int erpersonal relat ions are mat ched t o an environment wit h poorly
st ruct ures t asks. Leaders who are less personable are placed in environment s wit h well-
st ruct ured t asks.

It Is a Flexible Theory
Since t he t heory is in a class of cont ingency t heories, it is considered flexible, which is one of t he
major advant ages of t he cont ingency approach. T his means t hat you can use t his t heory in
different sit uat ions t hat fit wit h a company's demands. T hat makes it much bet t er t han a more-
rigid t heory t hat t ries t o find one solut ion t o fit wit h every problem.

You can use Fiedler’s cont ingency model in your organizat ion t o bet t er mat ch your managers t o
different environment s; t hen, sit back and wat ch t hem flourish.
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REFERENCES RESOURCES WRIT ER BIO

R EL AT ED ART I CL ES

What Is Meant Advant ages What Are The Theory & Describe t he
by and Birnbaum's Pract ice of Charact erist ics
Transformat iona Disadvant ages Models of Leadership of Effect ive
Leadership? of t he Vert ical Organizat ional and Teamwork
Dyad Linkage Funct ioning? Management
Model St yles
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The Effect of Autocratic Leadership

By Nicky LaMarco Updated January 24, 2019
One of t he recognized leadership st yles is aut ocrat ic leadership, which is also known t he
aut horit arian leadership st yle. T his leadership st yle has t he hallmark of complet e cont rol by t he
group leader over all t he decisions t hat are made for t he group wit h lit t le or no input from t he
subordinat e members of t he group. An aut ocrat ic leader brainst orms all t he ideas and chooses
from t hem wit hout seeking advice from any of t he t eam members. Aut ocrat ic leaders are
absolut e, uncompromising and dominat ing.

Despit e t his ominous descript ion, t here are bot h benefit s and drawbacks t o t his leadership st yle,
as wit h any ot her leadership st yle. On t he negat ive side, t hose who rely on aut ocrat ic leadership
when handling t heir t eams are seen as dict at orial and arrogant . However, on t he posit ive side, such
a leadership st yle is quit e useful under cert ain circumst ances.

T he exact sit uat ion in which aut ocrat ic leadership is useful depends on a variet y of fact ors,
including t he various charact erist ics of different group members and t he nat ure of t he t ask t hat
t he group is working on.

If you’re an aut ocrat ic leader by nat ure, you can benefit from underst anding your leadership st yle
and t he places where it is bot h most effect ive and least effect ive t o apply it judiciously.

Characteristics of Autocratic Leadership

Cert ain charact erist ics are common t o most aut ocrat ic leadership scenarios:

The group members cont ribut e few or no ideas t o t he general making of decisions.
The leader is solely in charge of making all decisions.
The group leader dict at es all t he processes and met hods t hat t eam members must follow.
The leader seldom t rust s group members wit h making major decisions or carrying out import ant
t asks.
The work done by group members is usually rigid and highly st ruct ured.
Thinking out of t he box and being creat ive are discouraged.
Team members follow clearly defined and out lined rules at all t imes.

Benefits of Authoritarian Leadership

At first glance, t he aut horit arian leadership st yle sounds negat ive. When overused or abused, it is
negat ive and may lead t o t he overt hrow of t he leader. However, t here are inst ances where t his
t ype of leadership wins out over more democrat ic leadership st yles for it s effect iveness. Such
sit uat ions include ones where decisions need t o be made quickly and t here's no t ime t o consult
many people before t he decision is made. Some project s are so challenging t hey require st rong
leaders t o complet e t hem efficient ly. T his st yle works when t he aut ocrat ic leader is t he most
knowledgeable person in t he room. In t hat case, t he role of t he leader is unquest ionable.

When a Small Group Lacks Leadership

Have you ever been on a project wit h co- workers where t he group is so poorly organized and
lacking in leadership t hat t he project is doomed t o failure from t he beginning? Almost everyone
who has worked on group project s has had such an experience at some point in t heir lives. Your job
performance suffers, even t hough you are diligent and hardworking.

Such a sit uat ion requires a st rong leader t o t ake charge of t he group, assign t asks t o different
members, est ablish clear deadlines for t he complet ion of work, and follow up t o make sure
everyt hing is going according t o plan so t hat t he project is finished on t ime.

Such group project s work best when one person eit her t akes on t he role of an aut ocrat ic leader or
shoulders t he work and does it all. You may have not iced t his in a group project . Usually, one or t wo
people in t he group do most of t he work, and t he rest of t he group members are happy t o t ag
along.

When a Group Is Under Pressure

In part icularly st ressful sit uat ions, such as periods of war and ot her milit ary conflict s, aut ocrat ic
leadership prevails. It gives t he members of t he group t he opport unit y t o focus on t he
performance of specific t asks wit hout having t o worry t oo much about complex decisions and t he
overall bigger pict ure. Because group members each focus on performing a single dut y and
performing it well, t hey t end t o be highly skilled at performing t hat dut y, which benefit s t he ent ire
group and increases t he likelihood t hat t he project is successful.

In the Construction and Manufacturing Industries

In const ruct ion and manufact uring indust ries, every member of a group needs t o have a clear t ask
assigned t o t hem, rules t o follow, and deadlines t o meet for t he overall project t o be successful.
Such sit uat ions are perfect for aut ocrat ic leaders because t hey are t he t ype of leader t hat
ensures t he project is complet ed on t ime and t hat t he workers follow safet y rules t o avoid
pot ent ially serious accident s. As a result , const ruct ion and manufact uring companies t end t o be
aut ocrat ic businesses.

The Negative Effects of Authoritarian Leadership

T he negat ive effect s of aut ocrat ic leadership make it t he least popular leadership st yle. To begin
wit h, t he subordinat e members of t he group t end t o develop resent ment for t he leader because
t hey feel as if t hey have no say in t he making of decisions. T he resent ment is worse if highly
skilled or knowledgeable members of t he group feel t hat t heir knowledge and skills are wast ed
because t hey are not allowed t o make cont ribut ions t o decision- making.

Group Input Is Discouraged

Aut ocrat ic leaders do not consult t he group, which may result in disgrunt led group members who
feel like t hey cannot cont ribut e t heir ideas t o t he process. Such groups also t end t o lack
creat ivit y because t heir ideas are not welcome. Ult imat ely, t his can hurt t he abilit y of t he group t o
perform well.

Aut ocrat ic leaders oft en make t he mist ake of overlooking t he skills and knowledge t hat t he group
members bring wit h t hem t o t he project . T hey end up failing t o consult wit h t hem, come up wit h
poor solut ions t o problems, and hurt t he overall success of t he project and t he group.

Group Suffers From Low Morale

T he happiest workers in any sit uat ion are t hose who feel like t hey are being heard and have a say
in how t hings are being run. T hey are mot ivat ed and t end t o be product ive as a result , oft en doing
far more t han is required of t hem. T hey have a sense of ownership in t he fut ure of t he group, and
t his spurs t hem on t o do t heir best wit h t he t asks t hat are assigned t o t hem.

When group members have no say, t hey may feel st ifled and dissat isfied wit h t he st at us quo.
T hey may do t he bare minimum regarding product ivit y or look for ways t o secret ly or openly
sabot age t he progress of t he project and t he group as a whole.

How to Thrive as an Autocratic Leader

List en t o your t eam members, even if you don't implement t heir advice.
Have clear rules in place for t he t eam members t o follow and make sure each t eam member knows
about t hem.
 Provide each t eam member wit h t he right t ools t o carry out t heir t asks effect ively.
Be a reliable leader. Consist ency is crit ical for effect ive aut ocrat ic leadership. The minut e your t eam
members perceive you as inconsist ent , t hey will lose respect for you.
Recognize success in your t eam members. Temper t he crit icism of failure wit h t he recognit ion of
success t o mot ivat e your t eam members.

REFERENCES WRIT ER BIO

R EL AT ED ART I CL ES

Leadership The Management A Descript ion The

St yles in Import ance of & Group of t he Advant ages of
Product ion Team Behavior Charact erist ics Fiedler's
Management Dynamics in of a High- Cont ingency
Project Performance Model
Management Workplace

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