360˚ feedback exercises are a great way to enhance job performance, leadership transition, career satisfaction and well-being. Introduced into businesses in the 1950s they continue to be a valued and robust way to support professional development. 
 
360˚ feedback exercises are a specific intervention to elicit a point-in-time assessment of behaviour and performance. They provide another view of behaviour and impact beyond the individual's perspective, from juniors, peers and seniors. This provides a powerful way to raise awareness, leverage strengths and develop weaknesses.
 
The use of 360˚ assessment tools – either tailored to assess your organisation’s competencies and values or broad characteristics such as EQ, leadership and management competencies – is particularly valuable for:

• leadership team forming and development

• developing senior leaders

• supporting the transition to leadership

• investing in high potentials

• succession planning

• supporting low performers

• supporting L&D programmes

• team development and cohesion

• reinforcing strategy

• developing/reinforcing competencies and values

 
Using good 360˚ feedback tools and carried out well, benefits are numerous and include:

• raised self-awareness

• boosted performance

• enhanced learning, skills and understanding

• motivated and more confident people

• demonstration of recognition and value

• reduced staff turnover

• improved accountability and personal responsibility

• creates a culture of transparency and openness

• supports culture change

• supports continuous learning and performance improvement

Following their introduction in the 1950s, a formal study* conducted over sixty years later confirmed the "superiority of multi-rater [360] feedback to the traditional methods and the dominance of advantages over disadvantages" in assessing performance.  The study concluded

“360 degree feedback implementation provides many positive outcomes in fact much more than the other traditional methods provide. Additionally, not only is multi-rater feedback a beneficial method of development, but it is also an effective tool for performance evaluation. The conclusion of this paper is that although it is not easy to implement 360 degree feedback practice, if it is utilised correctly its positive outcomes are highly satisfying. 360 degree feedback appraisal is an effective method for performance evaluation."

Many of our coaching programmes begin with a 360˚ feedback exercise as they provide helpful data for goal setting and raising self-awareness. They can also be valuable in one-off interventions, for example when followed by a one-off feedback and action planning coaching meeting. If you would like more details about our 360˚ assessments do get in touch e: enquiries@managingchange.org.uk or see here.

* Kanaslan and Iyem, International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences
May 2016, Vol. 6, No. 5
ISSN: 2222-6990​