Interpersonal Communication- A Mindful Approach to Relationships, 2020a

Research Spotlight
In a 2019 article, Leah Omilion-Hodges, Scott Shank, and Christine Packard wanted
to find out what young adults want in a manager. To start, the researchers orally
interviewed 22 undergraduate students whose mean age was 22. They asked the
students about the general desires they have for managers, which included questions
about general management style and communication (frequency and quality).
Previous research by Omilion-Hodges and Christine Sugg had determined five
management archetypes, which were reaffirmed in the current study: 26
1. Mentor: An empathetic advocate, professional, and personal guide.
2. Manager: A proxy for organizational leadership who takes a transactional
approach to leader-follower relationships.
3. Teacher: Seen as a traditional educator who provides role testing episodes, clear feedback, and
opportunities for redemption and growth.
4. Friend: Although in a managerial position, perceived as an informed and approachable peer.
Research
5. Gatekeeper: A high-status actor who is positioned to either advocate for or against an employee. 27
a. In the current set of focus group interviews, the researchers focused more on the communicative and
relational behaviors students wanted out of managers:
b. Mentor: Role model, leader by example, advocate, life coach, and someone who makes and leaves an
impact.
c. Manager: Is the nuts and bolts of a functional organization, lacks a personal relationship with followers,
monitors and delegates tasks, maintains the establishment, is structured and organized, sticks to
the plan, follows rules and regulations, is strictly business, observes hierarchy and protocol, and is
proficient in their day-to-day task accomplishment.
d. Teacher: Provides learning opportunities; supportive; dedicated to growth of the organization,
delegates information, provides necessary resources, explicit directions, feedback, and one-on-one
instruction.
e. Friend: Has a well-developed relationship with followers outside of work, is empathetic; supports
followers in all areas of their lives including identity development, is seen as similar by followers, values
employees as whole people (not just as workers), relationally focused.
f. Gatekeeper: Is removed from day-to-day operations, strategic, can help you advance or hold you back,
abides rules and regulation, restricts information at their discretion, communicates only to influence,
controls the successes and or failures of followers. 28
With the focus groups completed, the researchers used what they learned to create a 54-item measure of
management archetypes, which they then tested with a sample of 153 participants. During the analysis process,
the researchers lost the gatekeeper set of questions, but the other four management archetypes held firm. This
study was confirmed in a third study using 249 students.
Omilion-Hodges, L. M., Shank, S. E., & Packard, C. M. (2019). What young adults want: A multistudy
examination of vocational anticipatory socialization through the lens of students’ desired managerial
communication behaviors. Management Communication Quarterly, 33(4), 512–547. https://doi.
org/10.1177/0893318919851177
459
Interpersonal Communication