Unit 4

RELATIONAL CHALLENGES

Superior Subordinate Communication

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
What are the primary differences inherent in the superior-subordinate relationship? What are the two types of information communicated between supervisors and subordinates? What are the distinctions between semanticinformation distance and perceptual incongruence? Distinguish between upward distortion and strategic ambiguity? Why would researchers want to study leadership as a dyadic construct as opposed to traits or behaviors? Vertical Dyadic Linkage Theory (VDL) is also known by what name? Why?

Overview
Nature and Importance of Supervisor-Subordinate Relationship Prevalence of Misunderstandings in the SupervisorSubordinate Relationship Dyadic View of the Supervisor-Subordinate Relationship
Trait vs Behavior Leader-Member Exchange Theory (LMX)

Communication Activities: Supervisor-Subordinate

Trust, Immediacy, and Feedback Compliance-Gaining

Communication Activities: Subordinate to Supervisor

Upward Influence

Women and the Supervisor-Subordinate Relationship

Superior-Subordinate Communication
Those exchanges of information and influence between organizational members at least one of whom has formal (as defined by official organizational sources) authority to direct and evaluate the activities of other organizational members

Nature and Importance of Superior-Subordinate Relationship

Exists when one person has formal authority to regulate the behavior of another Forms of Communication (Table 10.1, p. 175) Task and Personal Information is shared by both superiors and subordinates Information sharing, seeking, and collaboration A critical role of communication is the maintenance of an acceptable relationship between the subordinate and the supervisor. Questions
Why is this relationship important for a newcomer? Why is maintaining an acceptable relationship with a subordinate crucial for a supervisor? See page 176 for specific reasons

Misunderstandings in the Superior-Subordinate Relationship

Semantic- Information Distance
Gap in information and understanding that exists between superior and subordinate on specified issues (Dansereau & Markin, 1987) Stunts growth of relationship and hinders organizational effectiveness Over-reporting by Supervisors (more positive) Inaccurate view of satisfaction Supervisors reporting that subordinates are actually less satisfied than they actually are Subordinate participation Communication openness Performance feedback Individual (satisfaction, conflict) Relational (development) Organizational (climate, communication)

Perceptual Incongruence

Causes

Effects

Misunderstandings in the Superior-Subordinate Relationship

Upward Distortion (subordinates)
The hesitancy of subordinates to communicate negative news up the chain of command the their tendency to distort such news to place it in a more positive light (Dansereau & Markham, 1987) Kill the messenger?! (blame subordinates) Interpreted as criticism of supervisor Moderating variables
Subordinates desire for promotion Need for security Level of trust in the supervisor Level of motivation

Explanations for Upward Distortion

Strategic Ambiguity (supervisors)

A situation in which contextual tools are purposefully omitted from communication to allow for multiple interpretations on the part of the receiver (Eisenberg, 1984) Can be used to promote identification and the sense of a shared vision Outcomes
Allows for meaning projection Leads to restricted code Allows people to regulate what and how much they want to share

Misunderstandings in the Superior-Subordinate Relationship

Which of the communications strategies (upward distortion or strategic ambiguity) is most ethically suspect? Why?

Leadership and the Study of Superior-Subordinate Relations

Trait Research
Intelligence, dominance, self-confidence, energy, activity, and task-related knowledge Initiating Structure (goals, expectations, jobs) Consideration (personal interest in subordinate) Vertical Dyadic Linkage Theory (VDL) LMX - Leader-Member Exchange (in-group relationships) Mutual trust, reciprocal support, liking, greater levels of interaction Middle group relationships SX - Supervisory Exchange (out group relationships) Role-defined and contractually-based Determined by liking and perceived ability of subordinate

Behavior Research

Leader-Member Exchange Theory

Maintenance Communication
Messages and behaviors used to preserve an acceptable and lasting relational state (Waldron, 1991) Subordinate Tactics
Personal - informal interaction used to build and maintain a friendship Contractual - conformity to formal role requirements, expectations, and contracts with the supervisor Regulative - strategic regulation--of messages, impressions, emotions, and contacts with the supervisor Direct - direct negotiation of the terms of the relationship and explicit discussion of perceived relational injustices

Communication of Women Leaders

Minimizing POWER Differences
Value Congruence (similarity in values) Nonroutine Problem-Solving (creativity) Insider Makers (group membership and jokes) Support (social and professional) Coaching (help in mastering skills and concepts) Performance Monitoring (check work and progress) Face-threatening Acts (criticism and rebuke) Competitive Conflict (interruptions and nonsupport) Power Games (arguing for sake of arguing)

Maximizing POWER Differences

Communication Activities: Superior to Subordinate

Supervisor as Teacher and Coach Trust
Expectations that the other will act benevolently Willingness to be vulnerable and risk that the other will not act accordingly Some level of dependency

Immediacy
Any communication that indicates interpersonal warmth and closeness

Feedback
Any communication between organizational members that implicitly or explicitly provides task guidance, personal evaluation, or other guidance PROVIDING and SEEKING feedback

Compliance Gaining
Attractive style (attentive, friendly, and relaxed) Unattractive style (inattentive, unfriendly, and unrelaxed)

Communication Activities: Subordinate to Superior

Dependent on FREQUENCY, TYPE, and PERSONAL NATURE of Communication Upward Influence
Goes beyond subordinates comfort and skill level Three Potential Strategies
Open persuasion (overt) Strategic persuasion (partial disclosure) Manipulation (disguised influence attempt)

Pelz Effect
Subordinates would initiate more upward messages if they believed their superiors had upward influence (Pelz, 1952)

Women and the Superior-Subordinate Relationship

Plight of Women in Organizations 10% of Fortune 500 companies senior managers are women Less than 4% of the top-ranked individuals (e.g., CEO, COO, president) are women Women make up less than 3 percent of the top corporate earners Gender Inequity is rooted in our culture patterns and therefore in our organizational systems Research indicates that sex does not appear to be relevant to the outcomes Women are rated higher as managers on the skill of putting people at ease. What is most predictive of differences in evaluation of leadership skills (ones position in the hierarchy or sex)?

Women and the Superior-Subordinate Relationship

Men and women do not differ in the types of persuasive strategies (compliance-gaining) How does level of power effect the types of persuasive strategies employed? BOTTOM LINE: Legitimate authority, level of power, and ones position in the hierarchy are the best predictors of communication differences in the workplace SEX DIFFERENCES
Communication Competence
Women supervisors are rated lower than men supervisors Women subordinates rated women supervisors less favorably than they rated men supervisors Supervisors rated women subordinates lower in communication competence than they rated men

Summary
Dyadic View of the Supervisor-Subordinate Relationship that is best characterized by . . .
Varying levels of TRUST SUPPORT FREQUENCY of INTERACTION

Discussion Questions (p. 192) Modern Workplace is Undergoing Changes

Decentralized Structures Participative Decision Making Project Teams (SDWTs) Changes include . . .

Blurred lines of authority Increased communication More equal distribution of power

Moving from . . . authority and control to . . . conditions where managers must be accomplished communicators