Richard Branson - Paper

By using Fiedler’s Contingency Theory, we can analyze the relationship between Branson’s leadership orientation and group performance. This is accomplished by determining Branson’s leadership orientation, specific situational elements, and the leader orientation that was found to be most effective as the control level changes. First, the different situational elements must be analyzed. Leader-member relations between Branson and his management are very strong. He has a great deal of trust in them and management has the utmost respect for Branson. This means that Branson will have absolute control if he wants it, but he will trust his management team to take control themselves. Hence, Branson has very strong leader-member relations. Second, task structure must be analyzed in a course of four steps: 1. Can a decision be demonstrated as correct? 2. Are the requirements of the task understood by everyone? 3. Is there more than one way to accomplish the task? 4. Is there more than one correct solution? Based on the environment that Branson has created at Virgin, assumptions can be made about situational traits. Branson makes sure that he acknowledges his employees’ hard work. That means when a decision is correct, the appropriate staff will be praised for making the correct decision. Branson also encourages his management to continue to challenge employees to come up with new creative ideas to attack the present situation. This means not only will employees understand the task requirements, but they will also be encouraged to find alternate ways to accomplish the task as well as alternate solutions.
Using the Graph below, when Richard Branson keeps a situation at moderate control his effectiveness as a leader and favorableness as a leader is maximized. However, in high control situations his favorableness is low and effectiveness is low. In Low control situations, his favorableness increases, but his effectiveness decreases. This is

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