360-Degree Feedback Articles

Sometimes, when creating a questionnaire for 360-degree feedback, we may take too simple an approach.  Our questionnaire might ask how Satisfied responders are with skills of the people they are assessing.  But this focus on Satisfaction alone implies a huge assumption: that the skills in question are important for everyone being assessed.   Maybe it’s […]

Four relationship tips can increase your effectiveness as a coach. 1. Listen attentively All hell may be breaking out around you, but when you’re coaching, there’s only one possible focus. The person in front of you. Coaching is powerful when that person feels, deep down, that you really care about their growth.  So turn off […]

There is no better time to enlist 360-degree feedback as one of many tools in the struggle against the mistreatment of people. The prime task of feedback, of course, is to help individuals being assessed to become aware of their blind spots, and make changes. But questions like these have an informational role too. They […]

As a coach, with the fall season in full swing, you may be planning to use video conferencing to maintain social distancing. Here’s a look at how you can prepare in advance, to make your online practice most effective. 1. Find a tool and stick with it By now, you likely have some experience with […]

Are you planning to introduce 360-degree feedback in your organization?   Here’s a summary of the basics covered in the Panoramic Feedback Resource Kit.  1. Buy-in and leadership If your C-suite aren’t convinced, no one else will be. Devote time to helping them understand the benefits.  As the pilot group, they can demonstrate that the […]

The way forward to help remove anger from 360-degree feedback responses. Training for 360 The implications for 360-degree feedback are unmistakable. It provides an anonymous space for people to assess each other. Like the angry driver, they can’t be traced. That’s why, in today’s climate, effective training of responders is more important than ever. To […]

What’s the best time to run a 360-degree feedback project? That’s a question plenty of organizations are asking. The answer depends, of course, on your current situation. Here are four considerations. Are your people returning to the office? When workers shift back from their home offices to the central office, the interactions between them can […]

Last time I reported on a survey that detailed the use of 360 for strategic purposes and how organizations use consultants and external vendors to set up their projects. This time, there’s more.  The survey, produced by 360 Group, followed data gathered since 2002.It covered 100 organizations of all sizes, operating mainly in the continental […]

A recent survey showed that three-quarters of organizations that use 360-degree feedback plan to maintain or increase its use in years to come. And most intend to maintain or expand their 360 budget.  Those are conclusions reached in a report called Current Practices in 360 Feedback, produced for 3D Group by Dale Rose and Jesse […]

When we listen closely to people who are reluctant to provide 360-degree feedback, their comments may hold the seeds of a solution. The statement above came from a worker who regretted his refusal to participate: “I’m opting out of this 360 with great reluctance. But let me say that, when I had the pleasure of […]

Factors that make a coaching session effective: Take charge Create a secure environment which is comfortable and private. Generally that’s an office with a closed door and no distractions. Turn off the phone. Sit facing the individual, no desk between you. Pay attention Let go of the important things that you’ve been busy with. Take […]

You have a lot of wisdom to offer your organization, but if you have nothing unique to offer about the crucial issues, it’s hard to get a hearing at the executive table. Everyone knows already about problems in the economy, sales, and staffing. But you could make a valued contribution by identifying other issues that […]

Wouldn’t you love to have access to data that tells you whether your people are working at a level of skill that’s appropriate for your industry or sector? You could compare it with your 360-degree feedback results and feel satisfaction and pride. Or initiate some urgently needed retraining. Granny’s wisdom Our quest for normative data […]

“If it’s worth saying, say it straight to my face.” That’s the slogan of some who question the place of 360-degree feedback in the workplace. They don’t believe that feedback should be mediated or anonymous. 360-degree feedback joined the army 360-degree feedback got its start in the US army about 60 years ago. Its leaders […]

The optimum way to provide 360-degree feedback reports is with other people around. When a person receives a report in isolation, they may be delighted by the feedback. But if they encounter critical comments, there’s also a significant risk of fear and despair. That’s difficult enough, but what makes it harder is that there’s no […]

There’s a mistaken tendency to undervalue HR and OD professionals. 360-degree feedback vendors sometimes contribute to this when they suggest that their off-the-shelf questionnaires have been universally “validated”. The implication is that your unique skills are not required. Just plug and play. But the truth is that an HR or OD professional who designs a […]

Today we will consider five ways to reduce responders’ anxiety. 1. Feedback makes the world go round Remind responders that there’s nothing new or fancy about feedback. It’s basic to human nature. We all need know how we’re doing. That’s why, from infancy onwards, we get praise when we do well, and corrections to help […]

A car runs over the base of a traffic pylon, sending it spinning into the ditch. Had that plastic orange cone been a pedestrian, they’d had suffered very sore toes! Large oncoming objects A novice driver was at the controls. The learner was a little nervous, a little cautious, but generally doing fine. In other […]

“Sorry,” said the woman, as she refused to answer a 360-degree feedback questionnaire, “I have become way too cynical for this project.” She was not alone. Why these unwilling responders? Blame history. Some have lost faith that the organization is serious about making changes, or developing its employees’ skills. They look back at promises broken, […]

Would you like to increase the effectiveness of your 360-degree feedback?  Ask yourself this question: Which group is likely to respond best to critical feedback – those who feel judged and disparaged, or those who feel appreciated? The Criticized We know that when people experience a lot of criticism, they become rigid, resist change, and […]