Workplace ostracism and deviant and helping behaviors: The moderating role of 360 degree feedback

Drawing on sociometer theory, we argue that when 360 degree feedback is used in a work setting, being ostracized by coworkers has a stronger negative influence on employees' state self‐esteem, which promotes interpersonal deviance and demotivates helping directed toward coworkers, as compared to settings in which 360 feedback is not used. We tested our hypotheses using data collected from North American employees (Study 1) and a two‐wave survey of employees in China (Study 2). Results from both studies support the hypothesized interaction between workplace ostracism and 360 degree feedback on interpersonal deviance and helping behavior. Results from Study 2 further show that lower state self‐esteem accounts for the stronger negative association of ostracism with helping behavior among employees who are exposed to 360 degree feedback. Ostracism is not related to subsequent state self‐esteem or behavior when 360 degree feedback is absent. We discuss the implications for theory and research concerning employee exclusion. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Feedback acceptance in developmental assessment centers: the role of feedback message,participant personality,and affective response to the feedback session

We investigated feedback acceptance by participants (N = 141) in an operational developmental assessment center (AC). Consistent with predictions based on self‐enhancement theory and the Affective Infusion Model, results indicated that higher assessor ratings were associated with higher feedback acceptance, and this relationship was partially mediated by the participant's affective reaction to the feedback session. Participants' self‐ratings of their AC performance did not affect this relationship suggesting no support for our prediction based on self‐verification theory. We also investigated the role of participants' self‐ratings of agreeableness, extraversion, and emotional stability in feedback acceptance by testing specific moderated mediation hypotheses. Extraversion was related to feedback acceptance through the affective reaction to the feedback session. Agreeableness moderated the affective reaction to the feedback session and feedback acceptance relationship such that there was a strong relationship between affective reaction and feedback acceptance for highly agreeable participants, but no relationship for low agreeable individuals. For low agreeable individuals, there was a positive direct relationship between the assessor ratings and feedback acceptance which was not observed for highly agreeable individuals. The hypothesized role of emotional stability in predicting feedback acceptance was not supported. Implications for the delivery of feedback in developmental ACs are discussed in light of these findings. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The impact of multiple source feedback on management development: findings from a longitudinal study

Despite the rapid uptake of multi‐source multi‐rater (MSMR) feedback systems by UK organizations, comparatively little research exists describing the actual impact on participant managers, in terms of changes in management competence. Ratings of 104 target managers (by self assessments, bosses‐, first‐ and second‐level subordinates) were investigated within the context of a developmental feedback programme in operation within an organization. The study compared ratings over two administrations (with two years between administrations) to determine: (1) changes in co‐workers' perceptions of their target manager's competence, (2) changes in target managers' development needs over time, (3) factors influencing a target manager's revised self‐assessment and co‐workers ratings, (4) changes in congruence between self and co‐workers ratings and (5) the relationship of feedback to the organization's formal performance appraisal process. Significant increases in managers' competence were perceived by the managers' themselves and by their subordinates, development needs were seen to reduce and self and co‐workers ratings were largely seen to become more congruent. However, polynomial regression analyses revealed co‐workers feedback at Time One was not predictive of targets' self‐assessments at Time Two. The implications of these findings with regard to the utility of MSMR feedback as a tool for management development are discussed. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The effect of other orientation on self–supervisor rating agreement

Employees generally rate their performance more favorably than do their supervisors, which can lead to conflict and poor job performance. However, comparative international research indicates that persons from other‐oriented collectivist cultures are less self‐enhancing, suggesting that other‐oriented employees will exhibit greater agreement with ratings provided by their supervisors. We examined the effect of subordinates' other orientation on self‐supervisor performance rating agreement. Consistent with cultural expectations, self‐ratings of other‐oriented subordinates showed greater agreement with ratings provided by their supervisors and less leniency relative to their supervisors' evaluations. These findings have implications for understanding how employees in different professions, organizations, and cultures utilize feedback from their supervisors. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

U.S. consumer crash test results and injury risk in police-reported crashes

Consumer crash test programs provide comparative information on the crashworthiness of new vehicles which, in turn, should predict the performance of the same vehicles in real-world crashes. However, the detail and quality of available information from tests and real-world crashes differ widely, so identifying meaningful relationships between crash test results and real-world crashworthiness can be difficult. Despite these data limitations, studies in the late 1980s and mid-1990s reported positive correlations between dummy injury measures from the U.S. New Car Assessment Program (USNCAP) and real-world fatality rates. More recent analyses of results from Australian crash tests and real-world crashes also have found positive correlations. This article considers relationships between recent U.S. frontal crash test results from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and USNCAP, and real-world crash injury risk estimates computed from police-reported crash data from three U.S. states. The frontal crash test results include dummy injury measures by body region from both IIHS offset tests and USNCAP full-width barrier tests plus measures of structural performance from the IIHS offset tests. Individually, results from the full-width and offset tests were not significantly correlated with the real-world injury risk estimates. Stronger relationships were found when a combination of overall ratings from the full-frontal and offset tests was used. However, the current results find only weak correlations between both full-front and offset frontal crash test performance and the real-world injury risk estimates. These weak relationships likely reflect the lack of detail and fundamental difference in injury information in police crash reports compared to that used in deriving crashworthiness ratings from the crash tests.     

The effects of appraisal instrument,feedback and goal-setting on worker satisfaction and commitment

Twenty managers and 125 subordinates participated in a field experiment performed in the Israel Airport Authority. The managers received intensive training in giving performance feedback and setting specific goals when conducting appraisals of their subordinates. Following training, the managers were assigned randomly to one of four conditions: feedback and goals using BOS-based appraisal; feedback using BOS-based appraisal with no goals; feedback and goals using GRS-based appraisal; feedback alone using GRS-based appraisal. Work satisfaction and organizational commitment were measured before and after the performance appraisals were conducted. A two-way analysis of variance followed by univariate analyses by means of a studentized range test revealed that (1) the use of BOS-based appraisal increased work satisfaction significantly more than the use of GRS-based appraisal, (2) feedback followed by goal-setting resulted in significantly higher work satisfaction and organizational commitment than feedback alone, regardless of the appraisal scale that was used, and (3) the combination of BOS-based appraisal, feedback and goal-setting led to significantly higher work satisfaction than was the case in the other experimental conditions.     

A meta‐analytic comparison of self‐reported and other‐reported organizational citizenship behavior

Given the common use of self‐ratings and other‐ratings (e.g., supervisor or coworker) of organizational citizenship behavior (OCB), the purpose of this meta‐analysis was to evaluate the extent to which these rating sources provide comparable information. The current study's results provided three important lines of evidence supporting the use and construct‐related validity of self‐rated OCB. The meta‐analysis of mean differences demonstrated that the mean difference in OCB ratings is actually quite small between self‐ and other‐raters. Importantly, the difference between self‐ and other‐raters was influenced by neither the response scale (i.e., agreement vs. frequency) nor the use of antithetical/reverse‐worded items on OCB scales. The meta‐analysis of correlations showed that self‐ and other‐ratings are moderately correlated but that self–other convergence is higher when antithetical items are not used and when agreement response scales are used. In addition, self‐ratings and supervisor‐ratings showed significantly more convergence than self‐ratings and coworker‐ratings. Finally, an evaluation of self‐rated and other‐rated OCB nomological networks showed that although self‐rated and other‐rated OCBs have similar patterns of relationships with common correlates, other‐rated OCB generally contributed negligible incremental variance to correlates and only contributed appreciable incremental variance to other‐rated behavioral variables (e.g., task performance and counterproductive work behavior). Implications and future research directions are discussed, particularly regarding the need to establish a nomological network for other‐rated OCB. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Linking the Big Five‐Factors of personality to charismatic and transactional leadership; perceived dynamic work environment as a moderator

In this multi‐source study we investigated the relationships between the Big Five personality traits and both charismatic and transactional leadership behavior, and whether dynamism (the degree that the work environment is deemed dynamic) moderates these relationships. We also tested whether dynamism moderates the relationship between leadership behavior and effectiveness. Personality was measured through self ratings using the NEO‐PI‐R. Subordinates rated their leaders' behavior, and peers and superiors provided ratings of effectiveness. Consistent with trait activation theory, results showed that perceived dynamic work environment moderated the relationships of four of the Big Five‐Factors with both charismatic and transactional leadership. Also, charismatic leadership was positively related to perceived effectiveness, but only in dynamic contexts. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Leader self‐awareness: An examination and implications of women's under‐prediction

Self‐awareness represents an important aspect of leadership. However, past research on leader self‐awareness has focused on one component of self‐awareness, self versus others' ratings, leaving the second component, the ability to anticipate the views of others, largely neglected. We examined this second component of self‐awareness by focusing on women leaders who have been found to under‐predict how others rate them. In two studies, we measured how women leaders anticipate the views of their bosses in regard to their leadership. In Study 1, 194 leaders rated their leadership, were rated by their bosses, and then predicted how their bosses rated their leadership. While we found that women under‐predict their boss ratings compared with men, we did not find that boss gender or feedback played a role in this under‐prediction. In Study 2, 76 female leaders identified (via open‐ended questions) possible reasons and consequences of under‐prediction for women in organizations. Results from Study 2 reveal the following: (1) the reasons for women's under‐prediction include a lack of self‐confidence, differences in feedback needs, learned gender roles, and self‐sexism; and (2) the perceived consequences of under‐prediction are negative for both women and the organization. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Resources and coping with stressful events

This longitudinal, quasi‐field experiment tested whether perceived stress and increase in perceived stress are related to the resources of the individual, namely, personality (core self evaluation scale (CSES)), physical fitness, social support (acceptance and/or rejection by peers), and cognitive abilities. Perceived stress scale (PSS) was administered at two points in time to participants in a two‐day selection process for a military unit, whose stressful environment formed the manipulation in this study. Baseline PSS was obtained from soldiers before the selection activity, when threatened with resource loss. PSS was next administered during the selection activity, when individuals had to cope with actual loss of resources and difficulty in regaining them. As expected, participants perceived more stress during the selection activity. Participants with higher CSES, higher cognitive abilities and higher levels of social support perceived lower stress levels prior to the activity. The increase in stress level was lower for participants with better fitness levels, but greater for participants rejected by their peers. Exploratory analysis of resource overlap was conducted and revealed a contribution of few key resources to coping, even in the presence of other resources. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Attitudinal organizational commitment and job performance: a meta‐analysis

A meta‐analysis was conducted to estimate the true correlation between attitudinal organizational commitment and job performance and to identify moderators of this correlation. One‐hundred and eleven samples from 93 published studies were included. The corrected mean correlation was 0.20. The correlation was at least marginally significantly stronger for: (a) extra‐role performance as opposed to in‐role performance; (b) white‐collar workers as opposed to blue‐collar workers; and (c) performance assessed by self ratings as opposed to supervisor ratings or objective indicators. Four other assumed moderators (commitment measure: Affective Commitment Scale versus Organizational Commitment Questionnaire, job level, age, and tenure) did not have at least marginally significant effects. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Indirect processes in criterion‐related validity

Four indirect processes affecting the relationship between self‐reported personality attributes and rated job behaviors were examined: through correlated personality attributes which are conceptually concordant with a criterion, through correlated cognitive ability conceptually concordant with a criterion, through correlated concepts in general, and in terms of an emphasis on motivation. It was shown that all four indirect processes contributed to the magnitude of personality – behavior correlations, both singly and in combination, over and above variations in inherent logical overlap, scale reliability and the observability of a criterion. The same pattern was present for conventional validity coefficients (correlations between self‐reports and ratings by a supervisor) and judgments all made by a single individual, suggesting that the measured validity of personality scales reflects general perceptions about interdependencies among attributes. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Self‐monitoring and performance appraisal: rating outcomes in project teams

Two studies examined the relationship between ratee self‐monitoring and performance appraisal in project teams using three appraisal sources: self, peer, and supervisor. Study 1, a laboratory study, found that high self‐monitoring (HSM) subjects produced self‐ratings significantly higher than their low self‐monitoring (LSM) counterparts. Further, higher agreement among sources occurred for LSM than for HSM subjects. HSMs' tendency to portray themselves differently to various audiences resulted in less rating convergence across sources. Study 2, employing project teams in five corporations, replicated the convergence finding. Implications for use of various sources of appraisal and for understanding the role of self‐monitoring in performance appraisal are discussed. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Task type as a moderator of positive/negative feedback effects on motivation and performance: A regulatory focus perspective

Applying Higgins' regulatory focus theory, we hypothesized that the effect of positive/negative feedback on motivation and performance is moderated by task type, which is argued to be an antecedent to situational regulatory focus (promotion or prevention). Thus, first we demonstrated that some tasks (e.g., tasks requiring creativity) are perceived as promotion tasks, whereas others (e.g., those requiring vigilance and attention to detail) are perceived as prevention tasks. Second, as expected, our tests in two studies of the moderation hypothesis showed that positive feedback increased self‐reported motivation (meta‐analysis across samples: N = 315, d = 0.43) and actual performance (N = 55, d = 0.67) among people working on promotion tasks, relative to negative feedback. Positive feedback, however, decreased motivation (N = 318, d = ?0.33) and performance (N = 55, d = ?0.37) among individuals working on prevention tasks, relative to negative feedback. These findings suggest that (a) performance of different tasks can affect regulatory focus and (b) variability in positive/negative feedback effects can be partially explained by regulatory focus and task type. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Perceptions of observed and model values of male and female managers

To provide evidence of the relationship between expectations for the values that should be exhibited for effective performance by female and male managers and their actual values, data were used that had been collected as part of a leadership program conducted for managers of business organizations in the United States. From a pool of approximately 700 managers, samples were drawn of 130 male and 130 female managers. As part of leadership program, the managers had completed 26-item SYMLOG value questionnaires, rating themselves and the values they judged to be effective for a manager. Prior to their participation in the program, sets of ratings were made by the coworkers of each manager, rating the actual values of the manager and the coworkers' ideal profile for the manager. The questionnaire covers three dimensions of values: dominant versus submissive, friendly versus unfriendly, and accepting the task-orientation of established authority versus opposing it. Comparisons were made of self and coworkers' ratings on the observed (self/actual) and model (effective/ideal) values of female and male managers with ‘matched’ samples that include only female and male managers with similar ratings of actual values, as judged by their coworkers, by removing the ratings of ‘outliers’. The only significant difference in gender ratings that remains is that female managers rate themselves as more positive. There are more differences between observed and model ratings. Managers and their coworkers believe that model managers should be more dominant and friendly than they are rated to be. However the managers also believe that they should be more task-oriented while their coworkers believe that they should be less task-oriented. The majority of the female managers dropped from the matched sample because no matching male could be found were more dominant and positive and less task-oriented, thus closer to the stereotype role for females. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Political skill as an indicator of promotability among multiple rater sources

Recognizing that organizations are inherently political arenas, investigating the relationship between political skill and various individual and organizational outcomes is increasing in the literature because employees need political skill in order to work effectively in such environments. Previous research, however, has not examined whether political skill is an indicator of promotability among different rater sources (i.e., bosses, direct reports, and peers). This study attempted to fill such gaps in previous research by examining whether the magnitude of the relationship between political skill and promotability differed depending upon which rater source was evaluating promotability. Using data from 262 practicing target‐managers from around the world, the authors found that target‐managers with more political skill had higher promotability ratings from three different coworker perspectives and the magnitude of the relationship was different for bosses and peers vis‐à‐vis direct reports. Furthermore, peer ratings of task‐related leader behavior mediated the relationship between political skill and boss ratings of promotability. Contributions of this study are discussed, as are limitations, future research directions, and practical implications. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The validity of situational interviews for administrative jobs

This study was conducted to determine the validity of situational interviews for making predictions of ratings of job performance and potential. The validation sample consisted of 63 candidates. The correlations of potential and performance with situational interview scores were statistically significant and both predictor and criterion measures showed acceptable levels of reliability. The study provides additional evidence on the validity of situational interviews in a new job family, i.e. administrative jobs in a large U.K. financial services organization. The discussion questions the extent to which situational interviews provide unique or overlapping predictive validity when compared with mental ability tests.     

Broad and narrow measures on both sides of the personality–job performance relationship

Two studies compared specific versus broad measures in linking personality with work behavior. In Study 1, 100 university students completed the 20 subscales of the Personality Research Form and an in‐basket exercise scored on 16 distinct managerial behaviors. In Study 2, 335 market research field representatives completed the Hogan Personality Inventory, containing 41 specific trait scales organized into seven primary scales, and were rated by their supervisors on seven performance dimensions. In both studies, significant linkages between broad personality and criterion variables (e.g., factors) were explained by stronger relations among relatively few specific variables. Moreover, consistent with prior research, weak relations among broad measures obscured important linkages at the specific level, including several cases of cancellation (i.e., specific traits loading the same factor in the same direction correlated with criteria in opposite directions). Canonical correlations with appropriate shrinkage correction revealed notable improvements in criterion validity over inter‐factor correlations and helped summarize the data while retaining the diagnostic advantages of specificity. Our findings are unique by demonstrating the value of specificity on both sides of the prediction equation. Implications for personnel selection are discussed. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Navigating uneven terrain: The roles of political skill and LMX differentiation in prediction of work relationship quality and work outcomes

Drawing from social/political influence, leader–member exchange (LMX), and social comparison theories, the present two‐study investigation examines three levels of LMX differentiation (i.e., individual‐level, meso‐level, and group‐level LMX differentiation) and further tests a model of the joint effects of political skill and LMX differentiation on LMX, relative LMX, and employee work outcomes. In Study 1, we used data from 231 employees and found support for the interactive effect of political skill and individual perceptions of LMX differentiation on LMX quality. We also found partial support for the moderating role of individual‐level LMX differentiation on the indirect effects of political skill on self‐rated task performance and job satisfaction via LMX. In Study 2, we used data from 185 supervisor–subordinate dyads and examined both meso‐level and group‐level LMX differentiation via a multilevel moderated mediation model. Results supported the moderating role of group‐level LMX differentiation and group mean LMX on the indirect effects of political skill on supervisor‐rated task performance and contextual performance/citizenship behavior as well as job satisfaction via relative LMX. Overall, the results suggest that politically skilled employees reap the benefits of LMX differentiation, as they enjoy higher absolute LMX and relative (i.e., to their peers) LMX quality. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Interactive effects of impression management and organizational politics on job performance

The purpose of this research was to explore the interactive effect of organizational politics and impression management on supervisor ratings of employee performance. We hypothesized that the negative relationship between organizational politics and supervisor‐rated performance is weaker among employees who are high in impression management than among those low in impression management. Data were collected from a matched sample of 112 white‐collar employees and their supervisors. Results indicated that the interaction of organizational politics and impression management explained a significant incremental amount of variance in supervisor ratings of employee performance. These findings demonstrated that the extent to which an individual engaged in impression management in a non‐political atmosphere may have been a key component to receiving favorable performance ratings. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.