There are 5 main building blocks to a 360 Feedback Survey
2022 hopefully will turn into the year that businesses get back to normal operations. The new normal however will inevitably include more remote workers and the need for better communication skills regardless of the position. Gone are the days that all employees show up to work in an office and everyone you work with is within walking distance. Nowadays it is critical that your leadership team is effective and clearly communicates with the team in a way that is trusted, respected, and provides opportunity for development. The 360 Feedback Survey is a terrific way to get an unbiased peek into where your team is and where they need to be developed.
How to start the process of 360 feedback
1. Determine the participants.
Understanding who should go through the program and why is the very first thing to do. Focus on those leaders who are integral to the success of the organization, work with several different people in the organization and perhaps you feel either you are underutilizing them or maybe they pose somewhat of a blind spot for you. Choosing the leaders who have the most impact on your organization’s success is always a good way to begin. Typically, organizations start closer to the top and work their way down. This shows all employees how important it is to continue developing their skills.
2. Communicate the process to the team.
Once you have determined those that will be participating as both focal participants and raters, it is time to communicate the value proposition of 360 feedback programs and their benefits to everyone involved. To get everyone to take the process seriously, not feel threatened, and get the most out of this, it is imperative to communicate openly and succinctly the need to go through the program and the benefit to all involved. Be sure to highlight the fact that 360 surveys are done anonymously which is a big benefit to 360 feedback programs.
3. Choose the most applicable content for the survey.
The information you collect for the 360 feedback reports is only going to be as good as the information you are asking for. There are a lot of different types of surveys available and custom surveys can also be utilized if needed – take your time and pick surveys with good content, and related competencies, that apply to the position the focal participant is in. The closer the fit the better the information you gather.
4. Run a smooth survey process.
While this should be an easy task, it is still critical. The survey process will lose credibility if it is perceived as sloppy, or put together at the last minute. Be organized, have a plan, and over communicate with everyone involved. Usually, 2 weeks should suffice to distribute the surveys and get them back to the administrator. If you have a small team, you should go with a program that offers administration support to make sure it all runs smoothly.
5. Review the results with the focal participants and have a plan for development.
This might be the most important step of all. Without a development strategy in place the assessment exercise (I.e., the 360) itself is not likely to change leaders’ behaviors. Remember, development is most often the goal of the 360 process which means that focal leaders should be looking for ways to change what they have been doing in the past. This last building block ensures the focal participant understands the results and has a plan to improve areas in need of improvement. Be sure you have a qualified person going over the results so they are clear, and also create an Individual Development Plan (IDP) that is specific to the areas that need to be improved.
2022 is a great year to take your leadership team to the next level. Be sure to start the year off with 360 Feedback to begin the process of development!
Related Resource: 360 Feedback – Your Complete Guide
Related Blog Post: 360 Feedback Checklist
Dr. Jaffee (M.A., Ph.D.) is a recognized expert in the field of assessments, and has created effective HR Solutions used by millions of people.