Relationships Between Communicator Style and Managerial Performance in Complex Organizations: A Field Study

This investigation was designed to identify and describe perceived commu nicator style characteristics which may be systematically associated with managerial performance. Independent evaluations of communicator style and performance were oblained for 105 managers from two different organizations. "Outstanding" and "definitely above average " managers, in terms of performance, were perceived by superiors, subordinates, and peers as qualitalively different in certain aspects of their communicator slyle. The implications of these findings are discussed in terms of a "con tingency " approach to "managing. "