Bosses Reward Flattery: Why It Happens
Why Bosses Favor “Bootlickers” Over “Boat-Rockers” – And What Employees Can Do About It
Table of Contents
New research from North Carolina State University reveals a surprising dynamic in leadership: managers are more likely to empower employees who offer supportive feedback (“bootlickers”) than those who challenge the status quo (“boat-rockers”). Though, the study also identifies a key behavior that can mitigate this bias, allowing employees to voice concerns without fear of retribution.
The Two Studies Unveiling the Bias
The research, published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, comprised two studies designed to understand the complex relationship between leaders and followers. The frist study involved observing leaders and followers over six weeks, utilizing three surveys to track behavior and perceptions. Researchers analyzed how follower behavior influenced leader behavior and how leaders viewed their teams.
The second study expanded the scope, surveying 528 adults in the United States. Participants were presented with a corporate leadership scenario and asked to assess their willingness to empower an employee, but with a crucial variable: differing descriptions of the employee’s behavior.
Participants were randomly assigned scenarios featuring employees exhibiting varying degrees of “challenging voice” (questioning and disagreeing) and “supportive voice” (offering constructive suggestions and agreement), alongside levels of helpful behavior – actions that directly assisted the leader. This allowed researchers to isolate the impact of each behavior on a leader’s willingness to empower.
Challenging Voice vs. Supportive Voice: The empowerment Gap
The results were consistent across both studies. Employees who consistently used challenging voice were considerably less likely to be empowered by their leaders.Conversely, those who employed supportive voice were more likely to receive increased responsibility and autonomy.
“Managers favored bootlickers over boat-rockers,” explains researcher Brad Kirkman.This isn’t necessarily due to malice,but rather a fundamental shift in perception. Leaders perceived challenging voice as a threat to their authority, while supportive voice was interpreted as alignment with their goals.
The Exception to the Rule: The Power of Helpful Behavior
however,the research uncovered a critical nuance. leaders weren’t threatened by challenging voice if the employee also demonstrated high levels of helpful behavior.
“If an employee was willing to buckle down and put in the work when the chips were down, such as helping leaders with heavy workloads, leaders were not threatened when that employee highlighted problems or raised concerns,” Kirkman notes. Supportive voice, however, wasn’t further enhanced by helpful behavior – it was already viewed positively.
This finding suggests that demonstrating a commitment to the team’s success, even while voicing dissenting opinions, can build trust and mitigate the negative perception associated with challenging the status quo. This demonstrates a strong understanding of emotional intelligence and workplace dynamics.
What This Means for Leaders
The implications for leaders are clear. Empowering employees is crucial for innovation and organizational success, and actively disempowering those who offer constructive criticism can be detrimental.Leaders need to be aware of their own biases and consciously evaluate employees based on their overall contribution, not just their communication style.
Kirkman advises leaders to ”be conscious of the benefits that stem from empowering employees-and consider that not empowering people who challenge the status quo may adversely affect your bottom line.” Creating a psychologically safe habitat where employees feel cozy voicing concerns is paramount.
What This means for Employees
For employees,the message isn’t to avoid speaking up. Rather, it’s to strategically combine constructive criticism with demonstrable helpfulness. By consistently going the extra mile and supporting their leaders and teams, employees can build credibility and create a safe space to raise concerns without fear of negative repercussions.
“The message is that you also need to exhibit helpful behavior, which will put you in a position to raise those concerns without fear of blowback,” Kirkman concludes. This proactive approach can foster a more collaborative and innovative work environment, benefiting both individuals and the organization as a whole.