As he developed his own style, his way of management soon departed from the conventional style of his ________.
句意：随着他自己的风格的发展，他的管理方式很快就脱离了他的前人的传统风格。 predecessor前任，前辈。ancestor始祖，祖先。successor 继承者；后续的事物。descendant后裔；子孙。故选C。