Fiedler’s Contingency Model

What is Fiedler’s Contingency Model?

Fiedler’s Contingency Model is a leadership theory developed by Fred Fiedler in the 1960s. It suggests that the effectiveness of a leader is contingent upon the situation, and that different leadership styles are more effective in different situations.

The model proposes three key elements that determine the situation: leader-member relations, task structure, and leader position power. The model also proposes that different leader styles, such as task-oriented or relationship-oriented, are more effective depending on the level of these elements.

The model suggests that leaders who are effective in one situation may not be as effective in another, and that the most effective leadership style for a given situation can vary depending on the specific circumstances.

Two types of leadership styles according to Fiedler’s Contingency Model of Leadership

According to Fiedler’s Contingency Model of Leadership, there are two primary types of leadership styles: task-oriented and relationship-oriented.

Task-oriented leaders

Focus on achieving specific goals and objectives by organizing and coordinating the efforts of their team members. They are more concerned with getting the job done and tend to be more autocratic in their leadership style, giving clear instructions and expecting them to be followed.

Relationship-oriented leaders

Focus on maintaining positive relationships and building a sense of cohesion among team members. They tend to be more democratic in their leadership style, valuing input from team members and fostering a sense of participation and collaboration.

Task-oriented leaders focus on task and goal achievement, while relationship-oriented leaders focus on maintaining positive relationships and building a sense of team cohesion.

Three contingencies of Fiedler’s theory of leadership

Fiedler’s theory of leadership, also known as the Contingency Model of Leadership, proposes three key contingencies that determine the effectiveness of a leader in a given situation:

1. Leader-member relations: This contingency refers to the level of trust, respect, and confidence that team members have in the leader. A leader with good relations with their team members is more likely to be effective in situations where the team is cohesive and committed to the leader’s goals.
2. Task structure: This contingency refers to the level of clarity and structure of the task at hand. A leader who is effective in a situation with a well-structured task is one who can provide clear goals and instructions, and who can effectively coordinate the efforts of team members to achieve those goals.
3. Leader position power: This contingency refers to the level of formal authority that the leader has within the organization. A leader with high position power is more likely to be effective in situations where the team members are dependent on the leader for resources and support.

According to Fiedler’s Contingency Model, the effectiveness of a leader depends on the interaction of these three contingencies. The most effective leadership style for a given situation can vary depending on the specific level of each contingency.

What is Least-Preferred Co-Worker (LPC) Scale, a scale developed by Fiedler

The Least-Preferred Co-Worker (LPC) Scale is a measure of leadership style developed by Fred Fiedler as part of his Contingency Model of Leadership.

The scale is designed to assess an individual’s leadership style by asking them to describe their “least-preferred co-worker” (LPC) and rating how they would feel about working with that person.

The LPC Scale consists of a set of bipolar adjectives, such as friendly-unfriendly, cooperative-uncooperative, and supportive-unsupportive, that the individual rates on a scale from 1 to 8, with 1 being the least favorable and 8 being the most favorable.

According to Fiedler, an individual’s score on the LPC Scale can be used to determine their leadership style.

A high score on the LPC Scale (indicating a favorable attitude towards the least-preferred co-worker) is associated with a relationship-oriented leadership style, while a low score is associated with a task-oriented leadership style.

Fiedler argues that the LPC Scale can be used to predict the leader’s effectiveness in different situations, with the relationship-oriented leaders being more effective in situations where the leader-member relations and position power are high, and task-oriented leaders being more effective in situations where task structure is high and leader-member relations are low.

Example of a Least-Preferred Co-Worker (LPC) Scale questionnaire

Here is an example of a Least-Preferred Co-Worker (LPC) Scale questionnaire:

Instructions: For each statement below, please rate how you would feel about working with your least-preferred co-worker using a scale of 1 to 8, where 1 is the least favorable and 8 is the most favorable.

1. My least-preferred co-worker is friendly.
2. My least-preferred co-worker is cooperative.
3. My least-preferred co-worker is supportive.
4. My least-preferred co-worker is dependable.
5. My least-preferred co-worker is considerate.
6. My least-preferred co-worker is honest.
7. My least-preferred co-worker is open-minded.
8. My least-preferred co-worker is easy to talk to.
9. My least-preferred co-worker is flexible.
10. My least-preferred co-worker is reliable.

This is just an example and you can customize the questionnaire by adding or removing adjectives and adjust the scale numbers to fit your needs.

Please note that LPC Scale is just a measure of leadership style, and it may not be the only factor to determine the leader’s effectiveness, and should be considered as part of a larger evaluation process.

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