The effects of performance attributions and outcome dependence on leader feedback behavior following poor subordinate performance

✍ Scribed by Sherry E. Moss; Mark J. Martinko

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1998
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 175 KB
• Volume: 19
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0894-3796
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1099-1379(199805)19:3<259::aid-job839>3.0.co;2-t

✦ Synopsis

While feedback is considered to be among the most eective motivational tools available in organizations, there is substantial evidence that leaders are often poor sources of feedback. Following poor subordinate performance, leaders have been shown to avoid providing feedback, delay providing feedback, and distort feedback to make it less negative. While these ®ndings are strong, there is evidence that this `mum' eect may be limited by certain boundary conditions. A 2 Â 2 experimental study was designed to determine the extent to which leader performance attributions (eort and ability) and outcome dependence (high and low) aected the frequency, latency, and type of feedback provided to poor performers. The results suggest that the feedback oered to poor performers by leaders is signi®cantly aected by both performance attributions and outcome dependence.