The role of the situation in leadership.

TLDR

Leadership depends on the situation, a fact accepted by most social scientists, though its meaning varies with different interpretations of leadership. The article defines leadership and reviews three historically significant leadership theories. The authors describe the Vroom, Yetton, and Jago contingency models of decision‑making participation, using them to identify three distinct ways situational variables affect leadership research and practice. Contingency theories, particularly the Vroom, Yetton, and Jago models, are presented as the most evidence‑consistent and practice‑relevant leadership theories.

Abstract

Leadership depends on the situation. Few social scientists would dispute the validity of this statement. But the statement can be interpreted in many different ways, depending, at least in part, on what one means by leadership. This article begins with a definition of leadership and a brief description of 3 historically important theories of leadership. The most recent of these, contingency theories, is argued to be most consistent with existing evidence and most relevant to professional practice. The Vroom, Yetton, and Jago contingency models of participation in decision making are described in depth, and their work provides the basis for identifying 3 distinct ways in which situational or contextual variables are relevant to both research on and the practice of leadership.