How to Use 360 Degree Feedback in Your Small Business
By VICKY BROWN
Just ask everyone what they think – well, not exactly. If you’re expecting the 360-degree feedback to be a casual chat around the water cooler, you’re in for a bit of a surprise. To be successful, the process has to be more structured, focused, and – dare I say – intense. But in a good way, I promise.
360-degree feedback isn’t just about having folks spill the beans about their colleagues. Nope. It’s primarily used to assess soft skills rather than job performance. That means it should complement your quarterly or annual performance reviews. And when you use them together – well, think of it as getting a full picture of an employee – the ‘how’ they work, in addition to the ‘what’ they accomplish.
So what are soft skills, exactly? I’m talking about things like organization. Are they on top of their time and project management? Do they pay attention to detail? Creativity is another. Are they problem-solving wizards? Do they think critically? Can they bring originality to their work? Leadership factors in, too. Do they make decisions, take responsibility, and display approachability?
But that’s not all. Let’s not forget interpersonal skills- they’re a biggie. Are they confident, empathetic, positive? Can they handle stress. How about are they enthusiastic about their role and the company? And speaking of the company, are they aligned with its values, mission, vision, strategic plans, and processes?
And what about communication. Are they good listeners? How are their nonverbal and oral communication skills? Can they give and receive feedback constructively?. We also need to consider teamwork. Do they participate, are they always ready to help, can you rely on them?
So you see, soft skills are infused in every part of the day to day. It’s the oil that makes sure the machine is running well. After all, we’re talking about people here – and people need to be treated well to do good work. And if they have a colleague that – well, just doesn’t get it, and can’t play well with others – well, then you’re going to have a problem.
But, is a 360 degree feedback process the right thing for you and your company now? Well, before you jump in with both feet, I want you to ask yourself a few questions. First, why do you need this? What business problem are you trying to solve, and how will a 360-degree review help you? Second, why right now? What’s made this a priority?
Also, who is it for? Who will be receiving the 360 feedback? Why is it critical that this targeted group be included to best solve your business problem? And most importantly, what outcomes do you expect from your organizational 360-degree feedback initiative?
“… soft skills are infused in every part of the day to day. It’s the oil that makes sure the machine is running well…And if they have a colleague that – well, just doesn’t get it, and can’t play well with others – well, then you’re going to have a problem.“
These questions are foundational to framing the goals of your 360-degree review process. Once you have clarity on these, you can decide who will participate in the process. Remember, not everyone might be ready for this, or they may need training to understand how to give and receive constructive feedback.
The next thing to think about is the process itself. What does it look like in terms of timing, tools, help or vendor software? How will the participants be selected. For goodness sake, don’t even think of doing everyone right away. Maybe you need to run a pilot first? And maybe you don’t need feedback from every colleague they work with.
For instance, let’s say I work with the accounting department and the marketing department. Well, do you really need feedback from everyone in both those departments? How about selecting the one or two people in the department that I work most often or closely with. Remember, you’re asking the other person to do an assessment, and that takes time, effort and energy. So choose carefully who, and how many, you put that burden on.
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All these considerations will play into how you shape your 360-degree feedback project.
Oh, and let’s not forget the tool. Choosing the right one can make a huge difference to how well the feedback process works. You want something that’s easy to use but also provides you with the insights you need.
Now, once you’ve got your tool, it’s time to train your people. Everyone involved in the process needs to understand why they’re doing it, what’s expected of them, and how to provide feedback effectively. You don’t want someone putting more weight on recent interactions, you want a full picture – of the whole picture. That’s why you have to do a bit of training – without it, if you just dump them in the deep end – they won’t have any idea what to do, and the data you get back won’t help you at all.
And then, it’s time to deploy. I suggest you carefully plan the rollout. And remember, you have to communicate, communicate, communicate. Why are you doing this? What is the purpose? Who was chosen and why? What is the time commitment (don’t forget to including training time). What are you doing to do with the results? Is this a one time thing, a pilot for a larger program, or will it continue at this size going forward?
OK, finally the reviews are completed, now the most important thing to remember is to provide aftercare. This can be as simple as thanking everyone for their participation, following up on feedback and creating a development plan. After all, 360-degree feedback isn’t just about finding out what people think; it’s about using that information to make positive changes.
So, while it might seem like a daunting process, with some careful planning and clear communication, 360-degree feedback can be a powerful tool for personal development. Just be sure you take the time you need for planning and execution.