Friday, January 7, 2011

Is Guilt Good?

Recently, I read an article in Harvard Business Review: "Guilt-Ridden People Make Great Leaders."  As one that is prone to guilt, I find the study intriguing and think there is some truth to it.

The study: About 150 workers in the finance dept. of a Fortune 500 company took a standard psychological test, which measured the tendency to feel guilt.  Those results were compared with their performance reviews.  They found that people who were more prone to guilt received higher performance ratings from their bosses. Studies also showed that they were more committed to their organizations and seen as stronger leaders by their peers.

The finding: People who are prone to guilt tend to work harder and perform better than people who are not guilt-prone, and are perceived to be:

  • harder workers
  • better leaders
  • more altruistic and willing to help others
  • higher performers
  • more committed to their employers
  • able to see the big picture

http://hbr.org/2011/01/defend-your-research-guilt-ridden-people-make-great-leaders/ar/1

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