Fiedler contingency model

Fiedler contingency model

Fiedler contingency model (hereinafter, the Model) is a model that suggests that effective group performance depends on the proper match between a leader's orientation, whether he or she is task-oriented or people-oriented, and the degree to which the situation allows the leader to control and influence. The model (1) uses a least preferred coworker questionnaire to classify leaders, (2) assumes that leaders cannot be both task-oriented or people-oriented, and (3) suggests that people orientation is the best match to the situations with moderate control, while those leaders who are task-oriented best perform in situations with high or low control.

Definitions

According to Organizational Behavior by Robbins and Judge (17th edition),

Fiedler contingency model. The theory that effective groups depend on a proper match between a leader's style of interacting with subordinates and the degree to which the situation gives control and influence to the leader.

Related concepts

• Least preferred coworker questionnaire. An instrument that purports to measure whether a person is task or relationship oriented. The questionnaire has initially been developed for the Fiedler contingency model.

Related lectures

• Leadership Quarter.