Listening is a vital management skill. To find out more about how managers' listening
is perceived in an organizational context, researchers administered a questionnaire to
144 managers and 827 of their subordinates in 6 hospitality organizations. Managers
were asked to rate 26 of their own listening behaviors using a 7-point scale. Subor
dinates were asked to indicate their perceptions of their managers' listening behavior
on each of the same 26 items. Profiles are presented of those managers who were per
ceived as particularly "good" or particularly "poor" listeners according to the ratings
given them by their subordinates. Characteristics of those employees who gave their
managers the highest and lowest ratings are also described. This information con
tributes to a better understanding of how managers' listening is perceived in organiza
tional contexts.
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