Feedback: Our Mirror
on the Wall
“Magic
mirror on the wall, who is the fairest one of all?” is the immortal question of
fairytale lore presented by Rey (2015) and recognized by children of all ages
across the globe. Whether the words are spoken by an evil queen, or a villain
from other films, as long as the one prompting the question receives the
answer, “You are the fairest one of all”, all is well; yet, once the slave in
the mirror speaks the truth and identifies another as the one most fair,
changes occur with the original one seeking “the truth” (Rey, 2015). Questions
are asked. Soul searching takes place. Often, plans are developed with a prime
focus of removing the object that has created the negative feedback, thereby
restoring order to the individual’s universe. Although the business world
provides an avenue for removing obstacles, the dismissal of workers, a plan to
dismiss everyone that provides negative feedback would not be effective
organizational management; hence, students, managers, and future leaders must
reconcile both positive and negative feedback in order to, as Brown (2011)
observes, “improve relationships between teams and increase effectiveness” (p.
303).
Brown
(2011) defines one such tool designed to offer feedback as “the organization
mirror” (p. 303). Feedback, defined by Cianci, Schaubroeck, and McGill (2010)
as “information about past behavior or, more specifically, information about
the accuracy, adequacy, or correctness of decisions and actions” (p. 132),
should be given “as soon after the work activity as possible” (Brown, 2011, p.
321). As Brown (2011) proffers, once feedback is given it should then be
matched with goals so that a positive performance outcome may be achieved.
Absent goals, feedback will not and cannot affect performance. Returning to the
evil queen, absent her goal to become and remain the fairest in the land, the
retort from the slave in the mirror would not have affected her performance
throughout the remainder of the film. As Poortvliet, Janssen, Van Yperen, and
de Vliert (2009) theorize, sharing information may be viewed as “hard currency”
by those seeking to follow aspirations and ambitions “in social achievement
situations”; yet, achievement extends beyond simple performance goals (p. 198).
As outlined
by Poortvliet et al. (2009), feedback has different effects and implications based
on whether or not the goal is either one of mastery or performance. Those who
seek mastery goals seek to develop competence and gain skill. Those who simply
wish to outperform others, follow performance goals. Feedback is an exchange of
information and as such requires social interaction with “exchange partners”
(Poortvliet et al., 2009, p. 198). Those pursuing mastery goals, when given positive
feedback, view their partners as “allies” and are more apt to share information;
however, bad feedback causes a hesitancy to share until such time mastery has
been achieved (Poortvliet et al., 2009, p. 198). In contrast, individuals who
wish to outperform others, see their partners as “rivals”, will share information
if the exchange increases the chance to outperform, and will withhold
information if the negative feedback, once disclosed, would facilitate the
performance and achievement of a rival (Poortvliet, 2009, p. 198). Additionally,
Poortvliet et al. (2009) concluded those who seek mastery goals will modify the
information exchanged, demonstrating benevolent motives, while those pursuing
performance goals will “modify their information to sabotage their exchange
partner’s task performance” (p. 205). With either scenario, setting the goal is
demonstrated as critical with regards as to how feedback affects performance.
Brown
(2011) observes the response of companies to the demands by workers, “particularly
from younger workers, for more frequent feedback” (p. 321). Cianci et al.
(2010) posit the goal adopted, mastery or performance, or a combination
thereof, establishes the framework as to how workers receive feedback and “interpret,
evaluate, and act on” the information (p. 131). They also note performance goals
are impacted with how performance levels have been either well defined or
undefined (Cianci et al., 2010). As noted by Brown (2011), a divide exists
between that of older and younger workers with regards to the level of feedback
that is requested. Younger workers want more and older workers want less. Brown
(2011) ties this to the “Gen Y [those born after 1980] (p. 322). It would be
interesting to explore a subsequent tie now being demonstrated with local
television commercials that question the “everyone gets a trophy” generation,
those who need instant recognition and gratification, regardless of skill. Muis,
Ranellucci, Franco, and Crippen (2013) briefly explore this in the classroom
setting and conclude based on the goal selected, mastery or performance,
students either “increase effort or revise tactics” to address negative
feedback for mastery goals, or, students pursuing performance goals “perceive
negative information as evaluative or judgmental” (p. 572).
“Magic
mirror on the wall…” What if the evil queen had taken the feedback and
increased her efforts to be a more caring soul rather than interpret the
information as judgmental and set about to remove Snow White as the obstacle to
her performance? The slave in the magic mirror, one must suppose, told the evil
queen the truth she wished to hear, every day, for fear of her wrath. When
faced with the truth, she cannot process it. Is this why today’s youth need
constant and immediate feedback? Have we sugar-coated and skirted the truth for
fear of hurting feelings? On a personal note, this writer has often told her
own children and students the truth, even when it was not requested. Feedback
does provide for increased engagement, either through an engagement with one’s
self, or with others; feedback begins conversations, often times long overdue.
Feedback allows for questions to be posed, other answers considered, and plans,
other than removing the object of the feedback, to take root and come to
fruition. Absent her goal to be the fairest in the land, the mirror’s feedback
falls on deaf ears. Understanding goals and how feedback affects the goals and
the persons seeking to achieve those goals is an important lesson for leaders.
References
Brown, D.R. (2011). An Experiential Approach to Organization
Development. (8th ed.). Upper Saddle
River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Cianci, A.M., Schaubroeck, J.M.,
& McGill, G.A. (2010). Achievement Goals, Feedback, and
Task
Performance. Human Performance, 23(2),
131-154.
Muis, K.R., Ranellucci, Franco,
G.M., & Crippen, K.J. (2013). The Interactive Effects of
Personal
Achievement Goals and Performance Feedback in an Undergraduate Science
Class.
The Journal of Experimental Education, 81(4),
556-578.
Poortvliet, P.M., Janssen, O.,
Van Yperen, N.W., & de Vliert, E.V. (2009). The Joint Impact
of
Achievement Goals and Performance Feedback on Information Giving. Basic &
Applied Social
Psychology, 31(3), 197-209.
Rey, N. (2015, Nov. 22). Snow
White and the Seven Dwarfs – Main Title/Beginning HD. [Video
file.].
Retrieved from https://youtu.be/5dSbJ5YIcvw
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