How do you respond to a manager with a High-Mach personality orientation approach? What are the
positives and negatives of a High-Mach manager in organizational culture?
Machiavellian (Mach) behavior/tactics are associated with devious political maneuvers first outlined by
Italian Renaissance diplomat, Niccolo Machiavelli, in his classic political tome, The Prince. There is a test
that measures the level of in a person, those scoring greater than 60 out of 100 are considered high
Mach’s. And while it is usually thought that high Mach people manipulate and undermine others using
cunning and duplicitous methods, Associate Professor Tse says high Mach is more about reading the
emotion of your boss and colleagues and adjusting yourself to fit into the environment without creating
too many waves. Instead of being envious and harmful, high Mach team members can be very
calculative, calm and strategic in maximizing their personal gains in unfavorable and stressful situations.
Based on some results of an empirical study, Associate Professor Tse suggests that a high Mach member
would tend to manage his/her negative emotions such as envy, contempt and anger towards the other
member with a better relationship with the boss and can actively display positive reactions such as
ingratiation (e.g., praises and recognition to the member).This also implies that Machiavellian tactics/
behavior help members with low relationships with the boss to manage their lesser status and negative
feelings, viewing the comparison targets – enemies – as enhancers who can enable them to get closer to
the boss for personal gains in teams (Tse, 2018).
When responding to a manager with a High-Mach personality orientation approach, it is important to
remain composed and use respectful language. Respect your manager's need for efficiency, accuracy,
and completion of tasks. Speak clearly and explain your ideas so that the manager can take them into
account. The positives of having a High-Mach manager in an organizational culture are that the manager
is likely to get projects completed quickly and to a high standard. They will likely be authoritative and
decisive, which can help the organization achieve its goals. Additionally, they put a great emphasis on
results, which can motivate other employees to perform at their peak. The negatives of having a High-
Mach manager in an organizational culture are that they do not nurture teamwork and collaboration.
They may not be open to ideas and suggestions from employees, and they may not be very
approachable, creating an environment of fear instead of one of progress. Additionally, the strict control-
oriented approach can lead to resistance from employees.
Reference
Tse, H. (2018). How a Machiavellian approach could boost your career.
https://impact.monash.edu/management/how-machiavelli-can-boost-your-career/
