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  • 2021
  • Working Paper
  • HBS Working Paper Series

Soliciting Advice Rather Than Feedback Yields More Developmental, Critical, and Actionable Input

By: Hayley Blunden, Jaewon Yoon, Ariella S. Kristal and Ashley Whillans
  • Format:Print
  • | Language:English
  • | Pages:64
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Abstract

Asking for feedback is a popular way to solicit third-party input at work. However, feedback seeking is only weakly related to performance, and employees often report that the feedback that they receive is unhelpful. Addressing this discrepancy, across six studies (N=2,014), we illuminate a suboptimal feedback-seeking-and-giving process, in which requesters’ typical input-seeking strategies hinder providers from delivering the type of input that requesters desire. Across two studies, we find that most input seekers desire developmental (i.e. critical and actionable) comments to improve their performance, and most often seek out this information by asking for “feedback.” Yet, a request for “feedback” limits the criticality and actionability of providers’ insight because it fails to increase their future orientation. Critically, we observe a simple yet powerful alternative: feedback seekers can ask for “advice” instead. Across four studies, including a field experiment, we find that input is more developmental (more critical and actionable) when providers are asked to give advice (versus feedback)—due to a greater future focus. Together, these data suggest that framing an input request as advice seeking is a promising way to better align feedback-seekers’ information-seeking strategies with their communication goals.

Keywords

Feedback; Advice; Personal Development; Future Focus; Evaluative Mindset; Performance; Personal Development and Career

Citation

Blunden, Hayley, Jaewon Yoon, Ariella S. Kristal, and Ashley Whillans. "Soliciting Advice Rather Than Feedback Yields More Developmental, Critical, and Actionable Input." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 20-021, August 2019. (Revised April 2021.)

Supplemental Information

https://osf.io/v3c4k/
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About The Author

Ashley V. Whillans

Negotiation, Organizations & Markets
→More Publications

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  • The Emotional Rewards of Prosocial Spending Are Robust and Replicable in Large Samples By: Lara B. Aknin, Elizabeth W. Dunn and Ashley V. Whillans
  • Kindness in Short Supply: Evidence for Inadequate Prosocial Input By: Jennifer E. Abel, Preeti Vani, Nicole Abi-Esber, Hayley Blunden and Juliana Schroeder
  • Perceived Job Difficulty Influences Unionization Support for Workers in Low-Wage Jobs By: Elizabeth R. Johnson and Ashley V. Whillans
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