Sexual dynamics are complicated. They involve power, control, attraction, desire, and emotions that can be difficult to separate from objective feedback. Feedback is essential for learning and improving performance, but when it comes to workplace interactions, there's often an added layer of complexity that can make objectivity, transparency, and reliability even more elusive than usual. In this article, I will explore how sexual dynamics affect these three aspects of feedback.
Power plays
First and foremost, sexual dynamics can impact the power dynamic between employees and managers. The traditional hierarchy of authority in the workplace already creates a situation where one person has more power than another, which can create tension and anxiety. Add in sexual attraction or flirtation, and that power imbalance becomes amplified. When someone is attracted to their superior or subordinate, they may feel pressure to behave differently in order to maintain that relationship or avoid potential consequences. This can lead to biased feedback that favors one party over another based on personal interests rather than professional merit.
Control issues
Another way sexual dynamics can compromise feedback is through control issues. When someone feels like their opinion or judgment isn't being respected, they may become defensive or resistant to feedback altogether. This can happen in romantic relationships as well as professional ones.
If a manager gives negative feedback to a direct report who they have feelings for, they may feel the need to protect them instead of giving honest criticism. Or if an employee receives negative feedback from a manager they're interested in, they may question whether it's really about their performance or just an excuse for rejection.
Emotional responses
Sexual dynamics can also influence emotional responses to feedback. Feedback can be uncomfortable at the best of times, but when there's an added layer of sexual tension, emotions can run high. Employees may feel embarrassed or ashamed to receive critical comments from someone they find attractive, while managers may hesitate to give negative feedback out of fear of damaging a budding relationship. As a result, employees might not get the objective feedback they need to improve, while managers may fail to address problems early on before they become larger issues down the line.
Sexual dynamics can make feedback more complicated and less reliable. By understanding these challenges, however, we can work towards creating a culture where all employees are comfortable receiving honest, constructive feedback regardless of their relationship status with others in the workplace.
How do sexual dynamics compromise feedback objectivity, transparency, and reliability?
The most common form of feedback is when one person (the provider) gives their opinion about another person's performance, behavior, character, or abilities to that other person (the receiver). This can be difficult in any relationship, but it becomes especially complicated in intimate relationships where there may be pre-existing power differentials, emotional attachment, and social norms regarding gender roles. Sexual dynamics play a large role in how people interpret and respond to feedback.