I Don’t See Me Like You See Me, but Is That a Problem? Cultural Influences on Rating Discrepancy in 360-Degree Feedback Instruments

Regina Eckert et al

Keywords: 360-Degree Feedback, Rating Discrepancy, Culture, Leadership, Implicit Leadership Theories

The Study:

This study examined whether cultural values shape discrepancies between self-ratings and observer ratings in 360-degree leadership feedback. Using data from 4,019 managers across 31 countries, the authors investigated how self and others evaluated three leadership skills: decisiveness, leading employees, and managerial composure.

Main Findings:

Cultural values—particularly power distance—significantly predicted self–observer rating discrepancies. In high-power-distance cultures, discrepancies were larger, reflecting more hierarchical relationships, fewer shared observation opportunities, and culturally shaped assumptions about leadership. These findings suggest that discrepancies are not necessarily indicators of poor self-awareness and may instead reflect systemic cultural influences.

Practical Implications:

Organizations should interpret rating discrepancies in 360-degree feedback with cultural sensitivity. Considering cultural norms can prevent misinterpretations of self-awareness and support more accurate leadership development. Feedback programs should adapt to cultural contexts to better target developmental needs.

Reference:

Eckert, R., Ekelund, B. Z., Gentry, W. A., & Dawson, J. F. (2010). “I don’t see me like you see me, but is that a problem?” Cultural influences on rating discrepancy in 360-degree feedback instruments. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 19(3), 259–278. https://doi.org/10.1080/13594320802678414.

Eckert 2010.pdf

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