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  • September 20, 2019
  • Editorial
  • Harvard Business Review Digital Articles

Why Asking for Advice Is More Effective Than Asking for Feedback

By: Jaewon Yoon, Hayley Blunden, Ariella S. Kristal and A.V. Whillans
  • Format:Electronic
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Abstract

Conventional wisdom says you should ask your colleagues for feedback. However, research suggests that feedback often has no (or even a negative) impact on our performance. This is because the feedback we receive is often too vague—it fails to highlight what we can improve on or how to improve. New research suggests a better approach. Across four experiments—including a field experiment conducted in an executive education classroom—researchers found that people received more effective input when they asked for advice rather than feedback.

Keywords

Feedback; Advice; Advice Seeking; Feedback Culture; Advice Taking; Interpersonal Communication

Citation

Yoon, Jaewon, Hayley Blunden, Ariella S. Kristal, and A.V. Whillans. "Why Asking for Advice Is More Effective Than Asking for Feedback." Harvard Business Review Digital Articles (September 20, 2019).
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About The Author

Ashley V. Whillans

Negotiation, Organizations & Markets
→More Publications

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More from the Authors
  • The Secret Tax on Women’s Time By: Lauren C. Howe, Lindsay B. Howe and Ashley V. Whillans
  • 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
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