Too good to be true? USF study reveals leaders who change too fast are viewed as less authentic

TAMPA - When it comes to giving feedback, especially to bosses, employees want their voices heard. Some crave more coaching. Others seek a better leader-team connection. Still others pine for managers who inspire, while practicing patience.

But leaders shouldn't rush to change their behaviors too fast, according to new research from the University of South Florida. If change happens too quickly, skepticism may arise, and employees are likely to believe it's too good to be true.

Published in the Academy of Management Journal, the authors found that employees see quick change in response to feedback as less authentic than gradual change.

"For leaders, sometimes it's not enough to just change. We have to consider how it might also be perceived, and people believe that true change takes time," said Danbee Chon, assistant professor of management in the Muma College of Business.

The results are from three studies where Chon and her co-authors examined how leaders respond to employee concerns. The first study surveyed 205 doctoral students from research universities. The other studies sampled over 2,000 employees using leadership action plans written by real executives in response to 360-degree feedback.

Conventional wisdom suggests managers should make swift changes in response to feedback, to show employees that their concerns have been taken seriously. But surprisingly, the opposite seems to hold true.

The study's findings showed:

• Leaders who jump too fast to change their behaviors are seen as less authentic, even when employees ask for those changes
• Employees viewed managers who make swift changes as less sincere, while a slower, gradual rate rings true
• The "authenticity penalty" is especially strong when the change is difficult
• Genuine change is what keeps employees speaking up

Chon noted that the study's conclusions relate to voluntary feedback concerning a leader's behavior. The authors believe that changes in response to feedback related to other concerns, such as routine business operations, may yield different results, because such changes may not require "changes in the leader's core sense of self."

Chon said they do not recommend leaders always take a slow approach to a change in behavior. Instead, consider the trade-offs when deciding which approach makes the most sense.

"When change is easy, leaders who change rapidly may be viewed as less authentic, but more responsive - enabling employees to feel seen and heard," she said. "Authenticity is one - important, but nevertheless, one - facet of leader evaluations."