The Fiedler Contingency Theory of Leadership Effectiveness

Fred Fiedler's leadership theory suggests that a leader's effectiveness depends on the fit between their style and the situation. He introduced the Least Preferred Co-worker (LPC) score to measure leadership style, but found it didn't correlate with team performance. Instead, three factors—task structure, positional power, and leader-follower relationships—play a crucial role. Fiedler identified three conditions affecting leadership outcomes based on these factors. However, his model is criticized for lacking evidence and neglecting team competence and motivation.

In what situation do high LPC leaders tend to perform poorly according to Fiedler's findings?

How does Fiedler's model suggest leaders should adapt their style?

What criticisms does the text mention regarding Fiedler's model of leadership?