Is feedback only from colleagues?

Generally 360 degree feedback is an internal process, however depending on the person’s role it might be extended outside the organisation. Customers, partners, and vendors, may all be included in the target group.

To ensure fairness take care when obtaining performance feedback from external groups. If difficult messages have been delivered to certain parties then it may not be appropriate to ask them.

Keep in mind that constructive criticism will only come from a contact who has known that person for a while. Ideally they need to have known them for a year or more.

Use with caution, use responsibly

Like most systems, the 360 degree process is not fail-safe. It’s safer if people managers treat feedback, both positive and negative, as exactly what it is – an opinion. Use it as one of the tools used during coaching or appraisal processes, not the only method.

It must be noted that those who are contributing their opinions may have ulterior motives. The nature of obtaining the comments or scores from a varied group should account for this, but remember to look out for any unjustified complaints, or compliments.

Great people managers use the comments they receive constructively and not as a stick to beat someone with.

What kind of questions are asked?

My preferred approach is to ask probing questions by asking the respondent to give an example of when the subject has demonstrated certain skills or values. I use this approach for the following reasons:

1. It prompts well-balanced comments which focus on the areas you are interested in
2. It usually guarantees that the respondent will think their answers through and pause to recall what it was like working with the subject, and the outcome
3. When walking through an example the respondent will be inclined to talk about the value that the subject did or didn’t deliver, they tend to forget about irrelevant details, focusing on the nuggets you are looking for
4. You can go in and ask for a little clarification if needed
5. Usually stories are used which you can discuss with the subject in their appraisal conversation. Hearing it from a couple of different perspectives gives a full and complete understanding

Have a real-life conversation

It’s becoming a cliché but in today’s world of multiple communication channels, messages are coming at you from every direction. They all take time to action. Many go ignored simply because there is just not enough time in the day. You’re much more likely to get what you’re looking for from a real conversation – that is – person to person, on the phone or face to face. The strongest and most valuable feedback always comes this way.

This approach is powerful because it makes the process easy for the respondent. It’s fast and convenient and you can easily to get them to expand on any interesting comments to tease out some of the more difficult to articulate examples.

It also means you will get the information back before you have your discussion with the subject. There is nothing more annoying than feedback trickling in via email after the deadline has passed.

Use an automated tool

But what about circumstances where phone calls are just not convenient? You might have so many people you need to obtain feedback for that it is not manageable to phone all the respondents.

There are many custom built tools on the market today which enable this process. If it’s compulsory in your organisation you may have an automated system where you can plug in the names and assign a deadline.

If custom built tools are not an option then other methods work just as well. Email feedback can be a nuisance because you will probably have to move messages around and group them. Surveys or google forms can work well.

Who to ask?

Asking the right people is also a key success factor for this process. My first move is always to ask the subject to provide me with a list of names. I usually ask for about ten names to pick from and a rough idea of what work they did together. I will often add in others, who might not have been mentioned, if they meet the following criteria:

• Subject has worked with them during the time period being assessed, usually within the last year or six months
• Has known the subject for between one and five years
• Is being freshly asked – they have not commented year after year about the subject’s performance

I will then prioritize the list and ask the top 5 that I am most interested in hearing from.

Is this practice better for your team members?

The answer to this is subjective. It can vary depending on the experience people have had in their past with the process.

It may not be appropriate for the role that someone is in. Be sure to assess this carefully before you begin.

If the subject has ever been on the receiving end of a badly executed feedback process they are bound to dislike it. If they have never been through one at all they may fail to recognize the potential value.

Do people managers generally like it?

If people managers believe it takes too much effort to go through the process, or that the only place feedback should come from is above, then they may not be open to the potential benefits.

Personally I believe wholeheartedly that if done thoughtfully and used as one of the methods of appraising your team members (not the only method) that getting 360° feedback is a very insightful and rewarding process.

What do you think?

What do you think about the 360 degree feedback process? Let me know in the comments below.

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