Chapter Five: How Leaders Respond To The Situation at Hand

Chapter Five
How Leaders Respond

to the Situation at
Hand
PRINCIPLES OF LEADERSHIP
Andrew J. DuBrin, 7th Edition
1
Learning Objectives
• Describe how the situation influences the choice of leadership

objectives.
• Present an overview of the contingency theory of leadership
effectiveness.
• Explain the Path-Goal Theory of leadership effectiveness.
• Explain Situational LeadershipR II (SLII).
• Use the Normative Decision Model to determine the most
appropriate decision-making style in a given situation.
• Explain the basics of leadership during a crisis.
• Explain how evidence-based leadership can contribute to
contingency and situational leadership. 2
Situational Influences on
Leadership Behavior
• Situations can influence the leadership behavior or style a
leader emphasizes.
• This contingency approach to leadership implies leaders are

most effective when they make their behavior contingent on
situational forces, including group member characteristics and
the internal and external environment surrounding the
leadership situation.
3
Role of Situations in
Leadership
• Research has shown the following regarding the role of
situations in leadership effectiveness:
• Organizational leadership is affected by situational factors not

always under control of the leader.
• Situations shape how leaders behave.
• Situations influence the consequences of how leaders behave.
• Organizational structure and design influence which approach to

leadership is likely to be most effective.
4
Leadership Situational
Models
• Fiedler’s Contingency Theory
• House’s Path-Goal Theory
• Hersey & Blanchard’s Situational LeadershipR (SL II)
• Vroom & Jago’s Normative Decision Model
• Leader-Member Exchange (LMX)

5
Fiedler’s Contingency Theory
• The basic idea is simple:
• Match the leader’s style with the situation most favorable for
his/her success.
• The theory was designed to enable leaders to diagnose both

leadership style and organizational situations.
• Leadership style may be relationship- or task-motivated.

• Leadership style is relatively enduring and difficult to change.
• Leaders are regarded as having a consistent style of task or
relationship orientation.
• Leaders should be matched to situations according to their 6
style.
Least Preferred Coworker
- LPC Scale
• The LPC scale measures the degree to which a leader
describes favorably or unfavorably an employee with
whom he or she could work least well.
• Not the coworker you LIKED least, but the one you had
the most difficulty getting a job done with.
• A relationship-motivated leader tends to describe their

LPC in favorable terms.
• A task-motivated leader tends to describe their LPC in

unfavorable terms. 7
Measuring the Leadership
Situation
• Leadership situations are classified as High, Moderate, or
Low control.
• More controllable situations are viewed as more

favorable for the leader.
• Control is determined by three dimensions:

• Leader-Member Relations
• Task Structure
• Position Power 8
Summary of Findings From
Fiedler’s Contingency Theory
9
Evaluating Fiedler’s Theory
• Fiedler’s work did prompt others to conduct studies about the

contingency nature of leadership.
• Fiedler’s model/theory did alert leaders to the importance of

sizing up the situation when working to gain control.
• However, Fiedler’s Contingency Theory was found to be too

complicated to have had much of an impact on the majority of
leaders.
10
Path-Goal Theory
• Developed by Robert House
• Specifies what a leader must do to achieve high productivity

and morale in a given situation.
• In general, the theory says a leader who attempts to “clear the

path” to a goal for a group member tends to find the group
member’s job satisfaction and performance increase.
• A leader should choose a leadership style that takes into account
the group member characteristics and the task demands.
• The theory is based on the Expectancy Theory of Motivation. 11

Path-Goal Theory
12
Using Path-Goal Theory to Match
Leadership Style to Situations
• DIRECTIVE
• Tasks are unclear
• SUPPORTIVE
• Tasks are frustrating and stressful, plus group members are
apprehensive
• PARTICIPATIVE
• Tasks are non-repetitive and group members are capable and
motivated
• ACHIEVEMENT-ORIENTED
• Tasks are unique or entrepreneurial and group members are
competent and committed
13
Evaluating Path-Goal Theory
• The basic tenets of the theory are on target.
• Any comprehensive theory of leadership must include the idea

that a leader’s actions have a major impact on the motivation
and satisfaction of group members.
• The theory, however, has never attracted much interest from

leaders or managers.
14
Situational Leadership (SL R
II)
• Developed by Kenneth Blanchard and colleagues.
• Primary focus is on the characteristics of group members – and –

matching leadership style to those characteristics.
• SLII is designed to increase the frequency and quality of

conversations about performance and professional development
between leaders and group members so that:
• Competence is developed.
• Commitment takes place.
• Turnover among talented group members is reduced.
• SLII is particularly applicable to front-line leaders, such as 15

supervisors and team leaders.
Basics of SLII
• Effective leadership depends on two independent behaviors:
• Supporting Behaviors
• Listening
• Giving Recognition
• Communicating
• Encouraging
• Coaching
• Directing Behaviors
• Giving Explicit Directions
• Controlling
• Supervising
• Ruling
• Regulating 16
Basics of SLII
• The basis for effective leadership is managing the relationship
between a leader and a group member on a given task.
17
18
Evaluating SL II
• Represents a consensus of thinking about leadership behavior in relation
to group members.
• No one style is best.
• An effective leader uses all styles, depending on the situation and the
individual group member.
• Is challenging to apply SLII consistently because leaders must “stay tuned”

and tasks shift rapidly.
• However, the model has become a basis for leadership training as the
model builds on other explanations of leadership that emphasize the role 19
of task and relationship behaviors.
The Normative Decision Model
o The normative decision model (formerly known as leader-

participation model) views leadership as a decision-making
process in which the leader examines certain factors within the
situation to determine which decision-making style will be the
most effective.
o The latest version of the model that has evolved from the work
of Victor Vroom and his associates over thirty years, based on
research with more than 100,000 managers.
o The models have changed but they all include the basic idea of
matching decision making style to situational factors.
20
Decision Making Style
1. Decide. The leader makes the decision alone and either
announces or sells it to the group.
2. Consult (Individually). The leader presents the problem to the
group members individually, gathers their suggestions, and then
makes the decision.
3. Consult (Group). The leader presents the problem to group
members in a meeting, gathers their suggestions, and then makes
the decision.
4. Facilitate. The leader presents the problem and then acts as a
facilitator, defining the problem to be solved and the boundaries
in which the decision must be made. The leader wants consensus
and avoids having his or her ideas receive more weight based on
position power.
5. Delegate. The leader permits the group to make the decision 21
within prescribed limits.
Contingency/Situational Factors
• Decision Significance to the success of a project or the

organization.
• Importance of Commitment of the team to the decision
• Leader Expertise and knowledge in relation to the problem
• Likelihood of Commitment of the team to a decision if the
leader makes the decision on his/her own
• Group Support of the team in relation to the organization’s
objectives at stake in the problem
• Group Expertise of the team members in relation to the
problem
• Team Competence of the team members ability to work
22
together in solving problems
The Leader-Member Exchange
Theory
o This theory, also known as LMX or the Vertical Dyad Linkage
Theory, explores how leaders and managers develop
relationships with team members; and it explains how those
relationships can either contribute to growth or hold people
back.
o Team members typically go through three phases in their
relationship with their manager: Role-Taking, Role-Making, and
Routinization.
o Typically, during the Role-Making phase, group members are
classified into one of two groups: In-Group, and Out-Group. In-
Group team members often receive more attention and support,
and more opportunities, from their managers. Out-Group 23
members get very little face time, and few opportunities.
The Leader-Member Exchange Theory
24
Leadership During a Crisis
• Crisis leadership is the process of leading group members
through a sudden and largely unanticipated, intensely
negative, and emotionally draining circumstance.
• Be decisive
• Lead with compassion
• Reestablish the usual work routine
• Avoid a circle-the-wagons mentality
• Display optimism
• Prevent the crisis through disaster planning
• Provide stable performance
• Be a transformational leader
25
Evidence-Based Leadership
• Before taking action, a leader asks “What does the research
literature tell me is most likely to work in this situation?”
• Leaders translate principles based on best evidence into

organizational practices.
• While evidence-based leadership and management is not yet

widely practiced, taking the study of leadership and
management seriously will move managers and organizations
toward basing their practices and decisions on valid evidence.
26
Summary
• Leaders are more effective when they make their behavior
contingent upon situational factors.
• Situations shape how leaders behave, and they also influence
the consequences of leader behavior.
• Fiedler’s Contingency Theory proposes the best style of
leadership is determined by situational factors including
leader-member relations, task structure, and position power.
• The Path-Goal Theory of leadership effectiveness specifies the
best leadership style based on the characteristics of the group
members and the tasks.
• The Situational Leadership (SLII) model explains how to match
leadership style to the readiness of group members. 27
Summary - Continued
• The Normative Decision Model explains leadership as a

decision-making process.
• The Leader-Member Exchange model indicates leaders who
adapt their style to different individuals within the group, or
who have different quality relationships with individual group
members, are essentially practicing contingency leadership.
• Leading through a crisis is a form of contingency leadership.
• Leaders applying evidence and research to their behaviors and
practices are using evidence-based leadership.
28

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What are some leadership situational models discussed in the text?

What are some leadership situational models discussed in the text?

What are the phases team members typically go through in their relationship with their manager according to the Leader-Member Exchange Theory?

What are the phases team members typically go through in their relationship with their manager according to the Leader-Member Exchange Theory?

Chapter Five

How Leaders Respond

• Describe how the situation influences the choice of leadership

• This contingency approach to leadership implies leaders are

• Organizational leadership is affected by situational factors not

• Situations shape how leaders behave.

• Situations influence the consequences of how leaders behave.

• Organizational structure and design influence which approach to

• House’s Path-Goal Theory

• Hersey & Blanchard’s Situational LeadershipR (SL II)

• Vroom & Jago’s Normative Decision Model

• Leader-Member Exchange (LMX)

• The theory was designed to enable leaders to diagnose both

• Leadership style may be relationship- or task-motivated.

• A relationship-motivated leader tends to describe their

• A task-motivated leader tends to describe their LPC in

• More controllable situations are viewed as more

• Control is determined by three dimensions:

• Fiedler’s work did prompt others to conduct studies about the

• Fiedler’s model/theory did alert leaders to the importance of

• However, Fiedler’s Contingency Theory was found to be too

• Specifies what a leader must do to achieve high productivity

• In general, the theory says a leader who attempts to “clear the

• The theory is based on the Expectancy Theory of Motivation. 11

• The basic tenets of the theory are on target.

• Any comprehensive theory of leadership must include the idea

• The theory, however, has never attracted much interest from

• Primary focus is on the characteristics of group members – and –

• SLII is designed to increase the frequency and quality of

• SLII is particularly applicable to front-line leaders, such as 15

• No one style is best.

• Is challenging to apply SLII consistently because leaders must “stay tuned”

o The normative decision model (formerly known as leader-

• Decision Significance to the success of a project or the

• Leaders translate principles based on best evidence into

• While evidence-based leadership and management is not yet

• The Normative Decision Model explains leadership as a

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