Apples-to-apples: How managers and subordinates think differently about leaders and followers

What is it about?

We examine how managers and their subordinates perceive leaders and followers differently. We found that managers generally have more positive views of leaders and less negative views of both leaders and followers compared to subordinates. These differing perceptions suggest a potential mismatch in expectations between managers and subordinates, which could affect their working relationships.

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Photo by Mapbox on Unsplash

Photo by Mapbox on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Managers and subordinates can have different, sometimes conflicting, views about what makes a good leader or follower. These differences in perception can lead to misunderstandings and misaligned expectations, which may affect collaboration and productivity. We identify a series of theoretical explanations regarding why these differences exist that may help identify and understand perception gaps and lead to more collaborative and stronger manager-subordinate relationships.