Many leaders and managers apply situational approaches in leading their firms to ensure work is done, with as well as through people. This may be possible by luring or influencing an employee to accomplish some tasks because they not only get it rewarding but also see it as accomplishment of personal goals through the activity.
Currently, most leadership theorists come to consensus that the leadership or process of leading an organization is complex, and no single form of behavior of a manager or a leader can always be effective. Organization behavior and effective leadership theories and concepts are contingent, or situational, in nature. Therefore, the actions of leaders must be situational based on the situation (Hersey, Blanchard & Johnson, 2008).
In regards to model of Likert, the link between the three categories of variables are casual variables operating on intervening variables, leading to creation of output variables. The stimuli largely results in a condition or level of the organism or intervening variables, which then influence output variables. Improving intervening variables is less effective compared to efforts to improve them via altering the casual variables. Output variables may be improved effectively via modification of the stimuli instead of the intervening variables (Walsh, 2009).
Short-term goals, as well as long-term goals are function of intervening variables, output variables leads to effectiveness. The decision of the manager or the organization on the objectives and goals determine the effectiveness.
Management by objectives enables agreement between an employee and a manager concerning that worker’s performance targets within a specified period. The targets may emphasize intervening variables or output variables or both. It is significant that the aims are jointly developed as well as agreed upon prior to their implementation (Walsh, 2009).
The performance of a group or an individual if mutually agreed upon in advance is advantageous in the sense that it allow workers to take part in establishing the basis of judging their efforts, and permits participation of workers in the process of planning, which increases employees’ commitment to objectives and goals established.
References
Hersey, P., Blanchard, K. H., & Johnson, D. E. (2008). Management of organizational behavior: Leading human resources. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Pearson Prentice Hall.
Walsh, J. F. (2009). The indispensable staff manager: A guide to accountable, effective staff leadership. Westport, Conn: Praeger.
