- 13/01/2013
- Posted by: essay
- Category: Free essays
Discuss the three situational determinants in Fiedler’s leadership theory that allow a leader to determine the favorableness or unfavorableness of a situation for leading. Give a specific example of how each of these determinants would work in a specific business situation of your choosing.
Fiedler’s leadership theory define three key determinants of situation favorableness for leading, including leader-member relations, task structure, and leader position power, which are crucial for the effective and successful leadership.
Leader-member relations imply the relationships between a leader and his or her subordinates. In this respect, it is important to lay emphasis on the fact that the leader-member relations should be grounded on mutual respect and support (Fiedler, et al, 1976). According to Fiedler, a leader cannot be successful if he or she fails to respect his or her subordinates. In stark contrast, the lack of respect and support from the part of the leader can evoke the opposition from the part of his or her subordinates. At the same time, the leader should have the respect and support from the part of his or her subordinates as well because subordinates cannot work effectively under the leadership of a person, who does not respect them. At this point, it is worth mentioning the fact that support from the part of the leader and subordinates is particularly important because through support they can cooperate effectively and reach their goals. For instance, the leader can manifest his or her respect and support to his or her subordinates through delegation of some of his or her functions to subordinates. For instance, one of the leader’s subordinates can prepare or conduct negotiations.
Task structure is another crucial situation determinant that influences the effectiveness of leadership in Fielder’s leadership theory. The task structure implies that group tasks should be clear and structured (Fiedler, et al, 1986). What is meant here is the fact that subordinates of a leader should understand clearly which tasks they need to achieve and which is the order of the fulfillment of tasks set by the leader. For instance, a leader sets the goal to start a new unit in a new region. The leader should provide subordinates with clear task structure, including all the points which subordinates have to fulfill to accomplish the task successfully, such as finding the best place for the new unit, recruitment of the personnel, training, promotion, starting production, and so on. In such a way, subordinates will understand clearly what they should do and what the leader wants them to do.
Finally, the leader position power is one more important situation al determinant. The leader position power refers to the power inherent in the leader’s position itself (Fiedler, et al, 1986). The leader’s position implies the formal authority the leader has in an organization and subordinates should respect and obey to the leader a priori just due to his or her leader’s position. However, at this point, it is important to lay emphasis on the fact that the leader’s position power should be backed up with effective leadership. Otherwise, the leader is likely to fail to succeed in his or her leadership. For example, if a leader gets a position of the leader in a company, he or she gets a starting point, when his or her subordinates feel respect to the leader because of his position power. However, the leader may undertake some erroneous steps, such as disrespect his or her subordinates, that will undermine his or her position power.
References
Fiedler, F. E., Garcia, J. E. and Lewis, C. T. (1986). People Management, and Productivity, Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Fiedler, F. E., Chemers, M. M. and Mahar, L. (1976). Improving Leadership Effectiveness: The Leader Match Concept, New York: John Wiley and Sons.
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