HOW DOES VAGUE FEEDBACK CONTRIBUTE TO THE GENDER FEEDBACK GAP IN TOP LEADERSHIP? AN EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

This study investigates whether feedback precision varies by gender in leadership roles. The research employs an experimental design that facilitates real-time feedback exchanges between two groups: directors (feedback providers) and managers (feedback recipients). The experimental task, based on Situational Judgment Tests (SJTs) developed by Peus et al. (2013) and grounded in the Full Range Leadership Model (FRLM), comprises three parts. In Part 1, managers complete a leadership task evaluated by directors in Part 2, who provide both quantitative and qualitative feedback. In Part 3, managers retake the task after receiving feedback. Directors are incentivized through two treatments: Treatment I ties their pay to managers' performance in the retake task, while Treatment II allows directors to choose between a fixed payment or performance-based compensation after being informed of their assigned manager's gender. Feedback preciseness is assessed through structured qualitative responses, where directors can choose between vague or precise feedback messages (after knowing the manager’s gender). The feedback is further categorized as either praising or critically motivating. Quantitative feedback includes directors' evaluations of managers' leadership effectiveness and leadership potential. Managers and directors also complete beliefs and confidence questionnaires, evaluating their expectations. Findings reveal no evidence of gender-based differences in feedback precision or its influence on (current and future) performance expectations and actual future performance. Moreover, the analyses reveal no significant association between feedback type and treatment or between manager gender and director reward choices.