Validity of the management communication style construct

A relatively recent addition to the organizational communication literature is the Management Communication Style (MCS) measure developed by Richmond and McCroskey (1979). Although the reliability of this measure has been reported, estimates of validity are noticeably missing. The present study assesses the validity of the MCS instrument by examining the relationship between employees perceptions of supervisors on the MCS and pertinent communication behaviors. Results support positive relationships between MCS and listening, understanding, and quality of communication. Findings provide preliminary evidence supporting the validity of the MCS instrument. Implications for future research are discussed.