Leadership style and group decision effectiveness: Correlational and behavioral tests of Fiedler's contingency model

Abstract

Experimental tests of Fiedler's “contingency model” of leadership effectiveness generally leave unanswered questions of precise criterion validity, due to limits on statistical significance of correlations based on small Ns. Seventy-five role-play groups were used in tests of one of the nine possible situations to which the model predicts. In this case, leaders with low LPC (Least-Preferred Co-Worker) scores (“task-oriented”) should be superior to high LPC (“relationship-oriented”) leaders. Two experiments ( N = 53 N = 22) yielded r = −.29 and −.19, respectively, between leaders' LPC and a group decision effectiveness score. Overall, r ave = −.26 ( P < .05). The obtained confidence level closely approximates that which could be reasonably expected for the N used if the predicted correlation (−.33) were, in fact, the true population value. This, and the consistency of results between the two independent experiments, justifies the conclusion that a small but significant relationship exists between leadership style and group effectiveness for the situation investigated. The practical utility of this relationship was discussed. Some behavioral differences between high and low LPC leaders were also examined and discussed.