Fiedler's Contingency Theory. This theory is based on the premise that a leader's effectiveness is dependent on a combination of their particular leadership style and the specific situation in which they find themselves. It is the interaction of these characteristics combined with the power in the organization that the leader possesses that determined whether their leadership is effective.

So, for example, there are situations where a leader with strong position power, low structure and good leader-member relations will be successful. Can you think of a specific situation at your work where this is the case? What type of person is your leader? Are they effective? Why, or why not?