Supervisor and subordinate: relationship problems and communication style

The aim of this article was to identify the main features and development tendencies concerning the relationship between supervisors and subordinates in the present system of social and labour communication. Based on a research of domestic and foreign management theories, the following key content characteristics of management models are reviewed: participative (Japanese), with a focus on trust-based interpersonal relationships and employee intrinsic motivation; paternalistic (American), with a linear distribution of responsibility and an orientation towards the financial well-being of the company at minimal labour costs; transformational (domestic), characterised by the role-based nature of employee interaction in the company and the prevalence of a manager’s personal qualities in the implementation of management functions. It is argued that the modern model of constructive relations of supervisors and subordinates, leading to the success of the company, is of integrative nature, combining forms of group and individual responsibility in the team; is based on the ability of the supervisor to respond quickly to the situation and create alternative programs to achieve corporate goals, giving subordinates the opportunity to develop in the performance of professional duties.