The Contingency Theory of leadership states that a leader's success depends on matching their style to the demands of the situation. Specifically, leaders must focus on either tasks or employees depending on the amount of control they have. The theory can be applied to both mass communication and organizational communication and will impact employees and companies since we will all have employers at some point. Critics argue leaders should take a balanced approach rather than favoring one extreme.

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 theyimplement this theory will effectourjobs&ourlives

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 allowsleaders to take thereins 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