In this study, relationships between the nurse executive's leadership style, the leadership style of the person appointed as a committee chairperson, and the task of the committee were examined. Since Fred Fiedler's (1964) Contingency Theory of Leadership Effectiveness had been one of the most influential theories in the field of leadership research, and allows for predictions, it seems very relevant for a practice-oriented discipline such as nursing, in particular, nursing administration.

Quality of leadership, understanding the task at hand, and committee member experience are all variables influencing committee effectiveness or productivity. With constant pressures of cost constraint, it is imperative for nurse executives to utilize human resources appropriately and creatively. This study was support for establishing an appropriate match of leader and situation.

The study design was a descriptive, survey utilizing random sampling technique. Task structure was the independent variable, and leadership style was the dependent variable. Data analysis was done using the ANOVA technique.

Hypotheses were tested for significant differences between leadership style of the nurse executive, a structured committee chairperson, and an unstructured committee chairperson. Age and educational level of the nurse executive were also evaluated for relationships with the dependent variable. Other demographic data included: number of beds in the hospital, management experience, both prior to and as a nurse executive.

Although no significant findings were obtained at the.05 level, the study may have greater implications for research in leadership effectiveness. Some questions to be addressed include: What types of tasks confront nurse executives most frequently? How does age, experience, education, and size of the institution effect leadership style? What roles do secondary goals play in leadership effectiveness? Considering a nurse executive's position in the organizational hierarchy, is one type of leadership style preferred or needed over another style? Recommendations for further types of studies were made.