The Fall and Rise of The Contingency Theory of Leadership

Abstract

This article aims to look at the development of The Contingency Theory of Leadership which had developed in the 1970s, but declined in the 1990s, and has begun to be considered relevant again in handling major crises in recent years, including Covid-19. The study used a descriptive qualitative method to review the related literature. The Contingency Theory of Leadership with the main approach to leadership appropriate depending on the environmental situation that arises in the context of a particular action or behavior. Discovered in 1964 by Fiedler, then expanded in 1970, slowly declining until the 2010s. The number of catastrophes and major disasters in the world proves that the response of a leader to a crisis that is considered successful is one that can adapt to the context and circumstances. Some of the leader’s characters that are relevant in crises are Achieving Situational Awareness, Adaptive Decision Making, Communication, Energy Management, and Learning. A crisis is a situation that requires high leadership sensitivity. It takes a certain character that can help with proper handling both before, during and after a crisis.

Authentic Leadership; Origins and Foundations: A Review of Literature

“…Fiedler, a key proponent of the theory, argues that effective leadership takes into account three main factors: the leader's relationship with other members of the organization, the form of task structure within the organization, and the leader's positional power (Early, 2017). Based on these factors, Fiedler's theory identifies eight specific leadership scenarios and suggests that task-oriented and people-oriented leadership styles are each applicable to specific leadership situations (Peters et al, 1985;Suharyanto & Lestari, 2020). However, critics of the theory argue that it is inadequate and only addresses a part of the hypothetical situations it presents.…”

Develop HR Contingency Strategies to Deal with Situations Similar to Covid-19 in Future in Jordan

“…Fiedler's Contingency Theory Fiedler's Contingency Theory puts forth the idea that the effectiveness of HR leadership at times of crisis is on the leadership style that has been used, however, it is depended on the control that has been held over the situations like Covid-19 pandemic. It has been stated by Suharyanto and Lestari (2020) that the theory implies that a strong HR and employee relation should be established in order to succeed in dealing with a situation similar to the Covid-19 pandemic.…”