When it comes to professional development feedback is not just about what your boss thinks. By Terence Mauri, business speaker and director of Leaders First. ‘
Feedback is the breakfast of champions’ according to Ken Blanchard who wrote ‘One minute manager’.
Imagine your boss was the only person giving you feedback on your performance. Unfortunately that's still the reality of professional development for many people today.
360-degree feedback - also called multi-rater feedback, peer appraisal or 360 degree appraisal - is designed to get around this. You're rated on your performance by lots of different people who know about you and your work.
Range of benefits
You complete your own self assessment, which is compared with feedback from your colleagues. Direct reports, peers, managers, customers or clients - anybody whose opinion you respect and who is familiar with you and your work can be included in the feedback process.
This multi-source approach can give real insight into how different groups see you as a person.
Professionally managed 360 degree feedback increases individual self awareness and can promote better communication and performance, better conflict resolution, accountability and a sense of worth.
Any problems?
Potentially, there are risks associated with 360 degree feedback – like review confidentiality - if the process is not transparent and well executed at all levels.
The planning process must include steps that address the benefits and risks to all participants.
Make sure you ask:
- what is the purpose of the exercise
- what is your success criteria
- who will be involved
- which competencies will be measured
- how skills and behaviours will be assessed
- what information will be public
- how will you follow it up?
360 degree feedback
I recently worked with a CFO who had participated in a 360 degree review for the first time. He said: ‘360 degree reviews can highlight an individual’s gaps or weaknesses. As a manager, you have a duty of care to provide regular feedback whether it’s positive or corrective. Take extra care to explain what 360 degree review is for otherwise it can create anxiety and fear in your people’.
When delivered in a constructive way, any feedback has the power to change. Pyschologists have identified that positive feedback reinforces productive behaviours and can improve motivation. 360 degree feedback is a more comprehensive way of assessing important skills and behaviours, and it also sends out the message that there’s always room for improvement.
Links
Leaders First
New CIMA CPD Professional Development Centre