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Smart People Ask for (My) Advice: Seeking Advice Boosts Perceptions of Competence

Author

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  • Alison Wood Brooks

    (Negotiation, Organizations and Markets Unit, Harvard Business School, Boston, Massachusetts 02163)

  • Francesca Gino

    (Negotiation, Organizations and Markets Unit, Harvard Business School, Boston, Massachusetts 02163)

  • Maurice E. Schweitzer

    (Operations and Information Management Department, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104)

Abstract

Although individuals can derive substantial benefits from exchanging information and ideas, many individuals are reluctant to seek advice from others. We find that people are reticent to seek advice for fear of appearing incompetent. This fear, however, is misplaced. We demonstrate that individuals perceive those who seek advice as more competent than those who do not. This effect is moderated by task difficulty, advisor egocentrism, and advisor expertise. Individuals perceive those who seek advice as more competent when the task is difficult rather than when it is easy, when people seek advice from them personally rather than when they seek advice from others and when people seek advice from experts rather than from nonexperts or not at all. This paper was accepted by Yuval Rottenstreich, judgment and decision making .

Suggested Citation

  • Alison Wood Brooks & Francesca Gino & Maurice E. Schweitzer, 2015. "Smart People Ask for (My) Advice: Seeking Advice Boosts Perceptions of Competence," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 61(6), pages 1421-1435, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:ormnsc:v:61:y:2015:i:6:p:1421-1435
    DOI: 10.1287/mnsc.2014.2054
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    References listed on IDEAS

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