A Field Study of Reactions to Normative versus Individualized Upward Feedback

Abstract

In a field quasi-experiment, we examined differences in team leaders' reactions to individualized feedback (i.e., ratings from the leader's team members) versus normative feedback (i.e., information about how the average team leader was rated). Team leaders who received individualized feedback viewed the feedback as more useful, were more willing to discuss the feedback with team members, and were more satisfied with the feedback process. However, leaders who received individualized feedback did not indicate grater intentions to change their behavior than leaders who received only normative feedback. Also, among leaders who received individualized feedback, neither tem members' ratings, self-ratings, nor leader/team member agreement were related to reactions to feedback Results indicate that, although leaders may react favorably to receiving individualized feedback, merely providing such feedback nay not lead to behavior change.