FAQ about 360-Degree Feedback
What is 360-degree feedback?
The process in which you
evaluate yourself on a set of criteria, your manager evaluates you, as
do your peers and direct reports. You receive a gap analysis between how
you perceive yourself and how others perceive you. Effective 360-degree
feedback processes also include develop planning and coaching sessions.
What are the benefits of
360-degree feedback degree feedback?
To the individual:
-
Perception is reality
and this process helps individuals to understand how others perceive
them
-
Uncover blind spots
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Feedback is essential
for learning
-
Individuals can better
manage their own performance and careers
-
Quantifiable data on
soft skills
To the team:
-
Increases communication
between team members higher levels of trust and better communication
as individuals identify the causes of breakdowns
-
Better team environment
as people discover how to treat others how they want to be treated
-
Supports teamwork by
involving team members in the development process
-
Increased team
effectiveness
To the organization:
-
Reinforced corporate
culture by linking survey items to organizational leadership
competencies and company values
-
Better career
development for employees
-
Promote from within
-
Improves customer
service by having customers contribute to the evaluation process
-
Conduct relevant
training
How is 360 different from
personality or style assessment?
-
Styles tools measure traits
or behavioral preferences, while 360 measures competence
-
Style explains how you are
likely to behave, while 360 explains how you actually behave
Should 360-degree feedback be
linked to performance appraisals?
360-degree feedback and
performance appraisals can complement each other, but should not be
linked. If 360 is linked to compensation decisions, it loses its power
as a development tool. When compensation is the outcome, individuals
will quickly learn how to play the game, "I'll scratch your back, if you
scratch mine." Further, if people do not get satisfactory ratings,
morale can decrease when 360 is linked to performance appraisal mode,
but low scores when 360 is used purely for development tend to be viewed
as constructive feedback.
How can you verify the
validity and reliability of a 360 survey?
Questions about validity are
most important with instruments that were developed in the tradition of
psychological tests with the purpose of measuring things that cannot be
observed directly, such as values, attitudes, styles and traits.
360-degree feedback survey items should always be based on concrete,
observable behaviors.
To establish face validity,
show the survey to a representative group of people who will be giving
and receiving feedback and ask the following questions:
-
Are the questions clear
or ambiguous? (Have each person restate the questions to see if
interpretation is consistent)
-
Are the questions
relevant to the feedback recipient's job?
-
Are the major items
addressed?
Just because a survey was
validated in the context of another population, does not mean that it
will be valid for your organization. For this reason, customizable
assessment platforms are the state of the art, because they can be
adjusted to align with local conditions.
How can I get more
information on the 360 Packages?
Check out the
360 Packages on our online store,
The Training
Catalog, or call us at +1-856-596-4196, 9-5 Eastern (-5hrs. GMT).
