The Right Stuff

The Right Stuff

No two people are the same.  Everyone has their own dreams and aspirations, strengths and weaknesses, fears and dreams.  What can motivate one person may not appeal to the next, and vice versa.  Imagine coaching a high school basketball team.  Each member has a position and is responsible for certain tasks, like setting up the offense, rebounding, setting picks, etc.  To get the team to practice and play hard, and to execute the game plan, the coach has to motivate the team.  Although they may all have the same goal of winning, their motivation can be as varied as the personalities.  Some of the players may be playing to attract college scouts in order to earn scholarships for college, others may be motivated by the prestige or popularity that being on the team brings, or they simply love the sport and want to play it as much as they can.  Whatever the motivation, the coach has to be aware of each player and what drives them to keep them motivated to put forth their best effort on the court.  This awareness of his players will determine the type of game plan the coach implements, using his team’s strengths to the fullest.  Not all coaches utilize the same methods to motivate their players.  For example, when Phil Jackson was an NBA coach, he was called “The Zen Master” because he uses a cerebral approach to coaching.  He relied on his relationship with the players and motivated them in more subtle ways.  Rarely would you see him yelling at the players and officials or paced the across the side of the court during games.  His style works on players that are more established and mature in their development and do not need a directive approach to coaching.  Jackson’s style may not be as effective on a team comprised mostly of rookies or younger players that are still trying to figure out how to play in the NBA.  Now imagine a coach with Bobby Knight’s style coaching the same teams Jackson did.  Chances are, he would not have lasted very long.  This same concept can be applied to any other situation, especially the workplace.  Leaders are called upon to make tough decisions for their organizations, while keeping their subordinates motivated towards accomplishing their mission.  The challenges and issues that face a leader each day are just as diverse as the people they lead.  The situation or working environment determine the type of leader that would be successful in maximizing subordinates’ efficiency and leading and effective organization.  There are several methods and theories one can use to determine the best approach to leadership.  Taking factors such as leader orientation and situational control into consideration, the contingency leadership model is the best option to leadership approach.  This paper will outline the contingency leadership model and how it helps determine the best suitable leadership approach to an organization, and will discuss the importance that the of how the right fit between the organization, its members, and task is important to achieving efficiency.