Contingent leadership
The models of leadership examined earlier in this chapter are all partial. They provide valid and helpful insights into one particular aspect of leadership. Some focus on the process by which influence is exerted while others emphasise one or more dimensions of leadership. However, none of these models provide a complete picture of school leadership. As Lambert (1995: 9) notes, there is ‘no single best type’. The contingent model provides an alternative approach, recognising the diverse nature of school contexts and the advantages of adapting leadership styles to the particular situation, rather than adopting a ‘one size fits all’ stance: This approach assumes that what is important is how leaders respond to the unique organizational circumstances or problems … there are wide variations in the contexts for leadership and that, to be effective, these contexts require different leadership responses … individuals providing leadership, typically those in formal positions of authority, are capable of mastering a large repertoire of leadership practices. Their influence will depend, in large measure, on such mastery. (Leithwood et al. 1999: 15) Yukl (2002: 234) adds that ‘the managerial job is too complex and unpredictable to rely on a set of standardised responses to events. Effective leaders are continuously reading the situation and evaluating how to adapt their behavior to it’. Leadership requires effective diagnosis of problems, followed by adopting the most appropriate response to the issue or situation (Morgan 1997). This reflexive approach is particularly important in periods of turbulence when leaders need to be able to assess the situation carefully and react as appropriate rather than relying on a standard leadership model.