The present study investigated the relationship between perceptions of supervisor com
municator competence and supervisor satisfaction as a result of quality circle involve
ment. A total of 104 quality circle participants comprising 12 quality circles at a large
defense contractor in a west coast city were employed in the study. Specifically, com
parisons were made between perceptions among participants of newly formed circles
and ones which had been in operation for six months. Data from the study were sub
mitted to multiple regression and one-tailed t tests. The results of the study indicated
that supervisors who participated in quality circles for six months were perceived as
being more communicatively competent (particularly on an encoding dimension) than
their counterparts who had just joined the program. In addition, subordinates were
more satisfied with them. However, the old circle supervisors did not perceive themselves
as more communicatively competent. Implications of the findings and directions for fu
ture research were advanced.
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