Date of Award

1-1-2014

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Specialization

Communication and Leadership

School or Department

School of Leadership Studies

First Advisor

Dr. Michael Hazel

Second Advisor

Dr. David Givens

Abstract

The current study examined the influence that self-awareness of one’s own level of communication apprehension (CA) has on the leader-subordinate relationship. Specifically, the study considered how trait-like CA influences this relationship in the context of the organizational staff meeting. Participants were selected based on their roles as either leader or subordinate (some served as both) in their particular organization. Each participant was asked to complete a questionnaire, including McCroskey’s Personal Report of Communication Apprehension (PRCA-24). Follow-up questions were asked to assess the participants’ perception of their communication exchanges with either their leader or subordinate and the role they believed their own level of CA plays in this relationship. Finally, participants were asked if they thought their approach to staff meetings would change as a result of increased awareness of their level of CA. The results of this study support previous research showing that a quality relationship between leader and subordinate is often connected to positive leader-member exchanges (Madlock et al., 2007). The findings of this study also demonstrated that individuals who were confident in their self-awareness of CA prior to the study did not anticipate a significant change in the leader-subordinate relationship.

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