Managers' Feedback Seeking Propensities on their Intra- Personal, Inter-Personal and Leadership Skills: An Empirical Study

Abstract

Based on the idea that feedback seeking enhances job performance, the study was aimed at investigating managers' feedback seeking tendencies on their intra personal, interpersonal and leadership skills, and their preferred feedback sources: subordinates, peers and superiors. Using cross-sectional survey design, 156 managers selected from work organisations in Ghana completed questionnaires on their feedback seeking tendencies, the information sought and their preferred sources. Within-subjects ANOVA and post-hoc analysis of the data suggests that managers are less likely to seek feedback about their performance and if they do, they are most likely to seek it on their interpersonal skills, less likely on leadership skills and least likely on intrapersonal skills. Also, managers appear most likely to seek feedback from their colleagues, less likely from their supervisors and least likely from their subordinates. Organisations need to create favourable feedback environment where managers will feel psychologically safe to seek feedback to enhance their performance.

Key words: Active feedback seeking, Self regulation, Human competencies, Leadermanager, Psychological safety, Ghana