M. Lee Williams

The measurement of Machiavellianism: A factor analytic and correlational study of Mach IV and Mach V

This study investigated the two scales most commonly used in measuring Machiavellianism. The corresponding items on the two scales are not parallel forms. Mach IV is probably a better measuring instrument than Mach V. The Mach IV and Mach V scales are multidimensional and are not parallel forms.

Conceptualizing and Measuring How Employees and Organizations Manage Uncertainty

The study of uncertainty is central to an understanding of organizational communication. This research investigates the organizational work climates that emerge from the way employees manage uncertainty as well as the way they perceive their organization manages uncertainty. The uncertainty management matrix (UMM) is presented as a conceptual framework, followed by three scale development studies. The article concludes with a variety of research questions to direct future communication research.

Uncertainty and satisfaction: The importance of information in hospital communication

While many organizational communication researchers have been interested in message uncertainty, few have: (a) operationalized message uncertainty using task, human, and maintenance sub‐scales, or (b) sought to determine which types of message uncertainty best predict various types of satisfaction. This study provided a theoretical basis for investigating message uncertainty and used demographic variables along with task, human, and maintenance uncertainty to predict satisfaction. Results revealed that human uncertainty and sex were the best predictors of satisfaction with the supervisor while the best predictors of satisfaction with the organization were human uncertainty, age, and sex.

Supervisor Mentoring: Does a Female Manager Make a Difference?

Research investigating the management styles of male and female supervisors is mixed. In an effort to clarify this research, the present study examined the interaction effect of gender of supervisor and gender of subordinate on perceived mentoring. Results revealed the least amount of mentoring occurred between female supervisors and female subordinates, but the greatest mentoring took place between female supervisors and male subordinates. Results were explained in terms of managerial experience and the double‐bind of female managers. These findings challenge the traditional advice that female subordinates should seek female supervisors.

The effect of deliberate vagueness on receiver recall and agreement

This study investigated the effects of deliberate vagueness and several interacting variables on the dependent variables of receiver recall and agreement. Results indicated that the quality of recall was significantly worse when disagreeable issues were vaguely stated instead of clearly staled, and vague messages produced more agreement than clearly stated messages. The results are discussed in terms of information processing theory as well as social judgment theory, and questions regarding the relationship between the cognitive and affective domain are investigated. Implications for the rhetorical use of deliberate vagueness are considered.

Embracing uncertainty: The executive's challenge

How can executives create and sustain an organisational climate that welcomes, utilises and exploits uncertainty? This research programme addressed this issue after the discovery that employees who work in organisations that embrace uncertainty tend to be more satisfied with their jobs and committed to their companies. Further investigation revealed that executives can address this challenge by recognising different working climates and understanding how organisational practices unwittingly suppress uncertainty. The paper concludes with a discussion of three basic uncertainty-embracing competencies: (1) cultivating awareness of uncertainty, (2) communicating about uncertainty, and (3) catalysing action during uncertain times.

Applying the Competing Values Model of Leadership: Reconceptualizing a University Student Leadership Development Program:

A theoretical model of organizational effectiveness and leadership, developed by Robert Quinn, is adapted and applied to a university student leadership development program. Eight leadership roles are evaluated in this empirical analysis. Results indicated that: (1) student leaders saw themselves most often as mentors to others within their organization/club and least often as brokers to individuals outside their immediate unit, and (2) position of leadership, type of organization/club, student classification, and gender produced significant differences in the leadership roles performed. Quinns model and these results are discussed as a means of reconceptualizing and improving student leadership development programs.

Affirming communicator style of supervisor and subordinate use of upward influence tactics: An analysis of nonmanagerial and managerial employees

This investigation focuses on how subordinates perceive their supervisors affirming communicator style (i.e., friendly, attentive, and relaxed) and the upward influence tactics they select. Results demonstrated that: 1) both managerial and nonmanagerial employees are less likely to use hard influence tactics (i.e., assertiveness) when communicating with supervisors with an affirming style, 2) managerial employees are more likely than nonmanagerial employees to use hard upward influence tactics (i.e., coalition, upward appeal, and assertiveness), 3) nonmanagerial employees perceive supervisors who communicate with an affirming style as being more participative decision makers, and 4) both managerial and nonmanagerial employees are more satisfied with supervisors who communicate with an affirming style.

Compliance‐gaining strategies and communicator role: An analysis of strategy choices and persuasive efficacy

This study investigated not only those compliance‐gaining strategies senders are likely to use but also those strategies to which receivers are likely to respond. Results indicated that persuasive efficacy is maximized when explanation, direct request, and ingratiation are employed, while more punishing strategies such as threat and guilt are mutually perceived as ineffective. The interaction effect of size of request with communicator role proved to be minimal.

BIBLIO: A Computerized Retrieval System for Communication Education.

This article describes BIBLIO, a computerized reference retrieval system for articles, instructional practices, and ERIC reports published in Communication Education. Even though Communication Education has a narrow, specific purpose, retrieving information from past issues is difficult and time consuming. BIBLIO provides a dynamic, flexible, and usable computer program which assists both the teacher and the researcher in retrieving instructional materials.