DO YOU SEE WHAT I SEE - AN EXPLORATION OF CONGRUENCE IN RATINGS FROM MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES

This paper provides a comparative analysis of behavioral observations made on 152 service providers in a business advisory and professional services firm from 5 distinctly different ratings sources (self, direc t reports, peers, supervisor, and clients). Results focused on differe nces in ratings level and degree of congruence with self-assessments b y observer type. The data suggested that service providers and their c lients may have a different perceptual frame of reference than do inte rnal observers (e.g., direct reports, peers, and supervisors). Moreove r, congruence in self-others' ratings was found to be a significant pr edictor of performance assessments from the same observer source. Impl ications of these results for the use of multirater appraisal systems are discussed.