A study was conducted to explore the relationship between the interpersonal behavior of community college department chairs and the assessment of their leadership effectiveness by department faculty. The study population consisted of 30 humanities and social science chairs at 15 Mississippi community colleges, as well as 171 faculty members at the colleges. Element B from W. C. Schutz's Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation (FIRO) was administered to the chairs to assess their interpersonal need orientation, while the Departmental Evaluation of Chairperson Activities for Development (DECAD) questionnaire was administered to the faculty members to determine their perceptions of chair effectiveness. Study results included the following: (1) in faculty ratings, 64.2% of the chairs were categorized as effective and 35.7% as ineffective; (2) there were no significant differences between effective and ineffective deans with respect to expressed inclusion, expressed control, received control, expressed openness, and received openness; and (3) significant differences were found, however, for the variables of perceived inclusion and wanted inclusion, with effective deans showing a need to maintain and establish interaction with others. Recommendations for policy changes and further research are included. Contains 16 references. (HAA)