The Contingency Theory of leadership proposes that a leader's success depends on matching their style to the demands of the situation. Specifically, leaders must focus on either tasks or employee relationships depending on how much control they have. This theory can be applied to both mass communication and organizational communication contexts as it influences all employees and jobs. While focusing solely on tasks or relationships could be damaging, leadership is improved by applying this theory's guidance on taking control based on situational demands.

1. Contingency Theory

2. “The Contingency Theory is a theory of leadership that assumes the degree of success of any leader is contingent on the situational demands as to whether the leader should have a task or employee focus and the amount of influence and control the leader has over the situation.”-Contemporary Communication Theory

3. That means…& Leaders have to focus on either accomplishing tasks or working with their employeesthe more control of a situation a leader has, the more they can accomplish.

4. Mass CommunicationandOrganizational Communicationcan both utilize this theory

5. This effects

6. all of us

7. Because at some point in time, we will all have an employer.

8. and how they implement this theory will effectour jobs&our lives

9. HOWEVERleaning solely to one side may damage a company, and critics argue a company should conduct itself with a more balanced emphasis.

10. Leadershipis developed and improved through the use of this theory,

11. because it allows leaders to take the reins in a situation

12. the endPhotos from flickrhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/robodot/14408676/sizes/m/in/photostream/http://www.flickr.com/photos/seeminglee/2149309015/sizes/z/in/photostream/http://www.flickr.com/photos/pmagalhaes/211298315/sizes/z/in/photostream/http://www.flickr.com/photos/18600205@N03/2509579561/sizes/z/in/photostream/http://www.flickr.com/photos/sootyskye/4539217578/sizes/z/in/photostream/Presentation by Bettina Elder