The Role Of Gender In The Construction And Evaluation Of Feedback Effectiveness

Abstract

This study investigated factors that influence managers’ conceptions and subordinates’ perceptions of effective feedback. A social rules perspective was used to operationalize male and female managers’ conceptions of effective negative feedback. In the first study, 68 male and female managers identified their optimal strategies for providing feedback to subordinates. Male and female managers endorsed different goals and tactics for giving negative feedback, particularly in terms of levels of participation and directness. In the second study, 116 male and female subordinates evaluated the comparative effectiveness and difficulty of these and other standard approaches to feedback. The female manager strategy was evaluated by both men and women as generally more task and relationship effective but not more difficult to enact.

Clarity, consistency and communication: using enhanced dialogue to create a course-based feedback strategy

“…Students most often perceived a core of negativity in staff feedback comments: For example: 'Feedback is all about what you've done wrong, not positive in any way' and 'you never get any praise for what you have done correctly'. These findings also confirm the findings of previous studies which suggest that the language of feedback should focus more on its motivational qualities and potential (Hyland and Hyland 2001;Lizzio et al 2003;Lipnevich and Smith 2009). However, this does have to be balanced with an element of criticality as suggested by Holmes and Papageorgiou (2009).…”

Earning Influence by Communicating Respect: Facework's Contributions to Effective Instructional Feedback

“…Although effective FIs help hearers participate in the evaluative process while also providing new knowledge (Lizzio, Wilson, Gilchrist, & Gallois, 2003), instructional feedback can challenge hearers' desire to feel included and seen as competent by their evaluator (by suggesting they need to improve their performance) and their desire to be autonomous (by telling them what they should do). Threatening both positive and negative face needs in this way can make students less willing and able to receive and adopt that corrective guidance (Carson & Cupach, 2000;Kerssen-Griep, 2001).…”

Hierarchical Mum Effect: A New Investigation of Organizational Ethics

“…Does gender affect what one will say-and with what degree of directness-in response to a request to participate in unethical organizational behavior? Regarding feedback interactions and the feedback itself, research indicates that male managers approach the interaction more directly and provide more succinct feedback than their female counterparts (Lizzio, Wilson, Gilchrist, & Gallois, 2003). On the other hand, female managers tend to provide more elaborate feedback to subordinates and to utilize greater variation in their use of directness when providing feedback (Lizzio et al, 2003).…”