Fiedler Leadership Model
For Fielder it’s very difficult for a manager to change the management style with which had success. So, since the styles are relatively inflexible and since no style is appropriate for all situations, effective performance in a group can only be achieved attempting to adapt the manager to the situation or to change the situation as a way to fit in the manager’s style.
Fielder measures the leadership style on a scale that showed “the level in which a man described his co-worker favorably or unfavorably” (least preferred co-worker – LPC). The Leaders who classified the least preferred employee very negatively, obtain a low classification on the LPC scale (they were leaders with a style guided for the tasks control and less worried with the human relations). Leaders who classified more positively their co-least preferred co-worker, obtained a high punctuation on the LPC scale (their style tends to be less permissive and guided for human relations).
Fielder also identified three leadership or variables situations that helped to determine which leadership style will be effective:
- Leader-member relations: the level on which the leader is supported by the team members and the friendliness of the relations.
- Tasks structure: the level on which the decisions are verifiable, the tasks goals and the solutions for the problems are clear and the work procedures are specified.
- Power positions: the power that is available to leader on his formal position.
