According to research, how effective are ingratiation and self-promotion tactics in follower attempts to influence bosses?

Student answers may vary. The usual way to measure the effectiveness of upward impression management is how the boss evaluates the subordinate's competence, or the extent to which the subordinate gets favorable career outcomes such as a pay increase or promotion. The research indicates that ingratiation is often effective as an impression management tactic for upward influence. Ingratiation can increase how much a subordinate is liked by the boss and may also improve appraisals of subordinate performance. However, to be effective as an impression management tactic, ingratiation must appear to be sincere. If it seems manipulative, it will fail to have the desired effect and may have a negative effect. The results for self-promotion tactics are less consistent, but they suggest that a negative reaction is more likely than a positive reaction. A subordinate who uses this tactic too often or in an annoying way will be liked less by the boss and given a lower performance appraisal. Self-promotion is a more difficult form of impression management to pull off successfully. Unless used only infrequently and in a subtle way, self-promotion tactics are likely to be seen as bragging and conceit.