Supervisor Listening as a Predictor of Subordinate Dissent

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to understand how supervisor active-empathetic listening skills ultimately influence their subordinates’ dissent behaviors. The data were consistent with a model in which supervisors’ listening skills influenced subordinates’ dissent behaviors through the mediation of trust in their supervisor. Of the active-empathetic listening skills, responding was the strongest predictor. The better supervisors’ listening skills, the more likely subordinates were to engage in articulated dissent, but the worse supervisors’ listening skills, the more likely subordinates were to engage in latent dissent.