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Contingency leadership theory in organizational studies is a type of leadership theory, leadership style, and leadership model that presumes that different leadership styles are contingent to different situations. It is also referred as situational leadership theory although, as originally convened, the situational theory term is much more restrictive. The original situational theory argues that the best type of leadership is totally determined by the situational variables.Currently there are many styles of leadership. The first Transactional or authorative leadership focuses on Power and status. A second leadership style, transformal or charismatic leadership focuses on “unique qualities surrounding charisma(Aldoory, Tooth). A third leadership style pluralistic leadership revolves around group decision making, this style values the opinions of others. The situational leadership theory argues that no one style of leadership pertains to all given workplace situations. Rather, “scholars have asserted that effective leaders change their leadership styles to fit the situation” (Aldorry,Tooth). Thus, a leader’s style changes with both the situations they are faced with and the environment that they are in. The theory suggests that not only can leaders alter their leadership styles but that they should depending on the situation at hand. . According to a recent study, successful use of situation leadership “relies on effectiveness in four communication components; communicating expectations, listening, delegating, and providing feedback (Baker,Brown). There are many ways in which a situation effects the method of leadership a supervisor would employee. In their study The Role of the Situation in Leadership, Doctors Victor H Vroom, and Arthur G Jago have identified three distinct roles in which the situation affects leadership. The first role the situation plays in affecting leadership is that situations outside a leaders control may affect the effectiveness of the overall organization. Often when the organization is in trouble the blame is placed on leaders. Many times these leaders have little to no control over the state of the organization. However, when measuring a leader’s effectiveness in such situations one must look at how they respond to what they can control such as their subordinates. A second finding of Vroom and Jago is that Situations shape how leaders behave. According to Vroom and Jago, “Their research, showing that situation accounts for about three times as much variance as do individual differences.” A third and final finding of Vroom and Jago is that Situations influence the consequences of a leaders behavior. According to Vroom and Jago “a leadership style that is effective in one situation may prove completely ineffective in a different situation”(Vroom and Jago). Thus, the choice of leadership style one uses may bring about both positive or negative consequences depending on the given situation. The situational leadership theory allows leaders to make a choice which ultimately predicts their effectiveness. Although this style of leadership is new, it is views as highly successful, and thus, leaders whom follow the situational model are considered successful leaders. Job satisfaction, willingness to work and performance were all rated highest with situational leadership.

Contents 1 Origins 2 Contingency theory 3 References 4 External Links 5 See also

[edit] Origins

The original situational theory appeared as a reaction to the trait theory of leadership. Social scientists argued that history was more than the result of intervention of great men as Thomas Carlyle (1841) suggested, rejecting his great man theory. Herbert Spencer (1884) said that the times produce the person and not the other way around. This theory assumes that different situations call for different characteristics; according to this group of theories, no single optimal psychographic profile of a leader exists. According to John Hemphill (1949), the theory states that "what an individual actually does when acting as a leader is in large part dependent upon characteristics of the situation in which he functions."

[edit] Contingency theory

In the late fifties, theorists started to synthesize the trait and situational approaches. They argued that the style of leadership as contingent to the situation, which is sometimes classified as contingency leadership theory. Four situational/contingency leadership theories appear more prominently in the recent years: Fiedler contingency model, Vroom-Yetton decision model, the path-goal theory, and the Hersey-Blanchard situational theory.

[edit] References

[edit] External Links

• Situational Services, Inc.

[edit] See also

• Leadership
• Fiedler contingency model
• Vroom-Yetton decision model
• Path-goal theory
• Hersey-Blanchard situational theory