There are several leadership theories developed throughout history. The most popular ones are trait theories, behavioral theories, contingency theories, and leader-member exchange (LMX) theory. The author of the post will briefly discuss two theories, Fiedler's contingency theory and Leader-Member Exchange (LMX), and compare and contrast their strengths and weaknesses. Fiedler's model is considered the first highly visible theory to present the contingency approach. It was argued that effective groups depend on a proper match between the leader's style of interaction with subordinates and the degree to which the situation gives control and influence to the leader (Fiedler, 1967). Fiedler argued that leadership style could be identified by answering a least preferred coworker (LPC) questionnaire he designed. When evaluating a less liked colleague, a relationship-oriented leader scores high on LPC, while a task-oriented leader scores low. Fiedler identified three contingent or situational dimensions: leader-member relationships, task structure, and position power. A leader will have more control if he or she has better leader-member relationships, a highly structured job, and a stronger position of power. Task-oriented leaders perform best in situations of high and low control, while relationship-oriented leaders perform best in situations of moderate control. Feedler views an individual's leadership style as fixed. To ensure leader effectiveness, either the situation must change to fit the leader or the leader must be replaced to fit the situation. But in reality, a leader cannot use a homogeneous style to treat all his followers similarly in his work unit (Robbins & Judge, 2011, p. 382). Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) theory, on t.. .... middle of paper ...... over 25 years: Applying a multi-level, multi-domain perspective, Leadership Quarterly, 6(2 ):219-247.Gils, S. v., Quaquebeke, N .v., & Knippenberg, Dv (2009). The X factor: on the relevance of implicit theories of leadership and followership for the Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) agreement European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology. Rotterdam, Netherlands: Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM). MindTools (n.d.) Fiedler's contingency model. Retrieved November 16, 2010, from http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/fiedler.htmRobbins, S. P., & Judge, T. A. (2011). Organizational Behavior (14 ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.Mao Zedong (n.d.). on Wikipedia. Retrieved November 16, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mao_ZedongZhou Enlai (n.d.) in Wikipedia. Retrieved November 16, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhou_Enlai