360-Degree Feedback for Individual and Team Effectiveness
360 feedback is a strategic tool not just a development exercise. It supports Leadership development, Succession planning and Team effectiveness. It also provides data-driven insight for better organisational decisions.
For individuals, coupling 360-degree feedback with a personalised one-to-one coaching session helps to increase self-awareness, encourage personal responsibility and promote a growth mindset.
Many clients ask us, ‘Which tool do you recommend?’ For us, the right 360-degree feedback tool for your organisation is the one that has meaningful impact.
There are a variety of 360-degree tools to choose from, many of which can be personalised to suit an organisation’s needs. For example, questions can be aligned with leadership behaviours, core competencies or organisational values to make the feedback as relevant as possible.
Some tools provide individuals or teams with a profile which has been benchmarked with people in similar roles, which helps give an objective view of strengths and development areas.
As we have access to a range of tools, we have the flexibility to listen to and understand each client’s needs. This allows us to match and tailor the tool to achieve the best outcomes for individuals, teams and the organisation as a whole.
Our feedback coaching is rooted in positive psychology, helping individuals and teams to recognise and build on their strengths while harnessing their talents to improve performance.
We also find that at least one follow-up coaching session is valuable for reviewing progress, reinforcing commitment to agreed actions and supporting lasting change.
Client Example
360-degree feedback to support leadership development and succession planning.
We were asked to conduct a 360-degree process for Managing Directors and selected Principals identified as potential future MDs. We used a bespoke 360 tool, using the client’s leadership framework, to gather multi-perspective data on individuals’ strengths and development areas in relation to the competencies.
In a confidential, 90-minute individual debrief coaching session, we reviewed the results with the individual, identifying the key themes, insights and actions they could take. Following this, we facilitated a 1-hour development conversation with the individual and their manager.
The purpose of this was to create shared understanding, agreement and commitment on the key themes and actions.
For the organisation, we produced an anonymised aggregated report summarising key themes and insights across the cohort, aligned to competencies. The report provided common strengths, and development areas, giving the organisation an overview of the cohorts’ current capabilities and potential for growth.
The information gained through the 360 insights/data has been instrumental in helping our client to make more robust and informed holistically driven (qualitative & quantitative) decisions about promotion readiness.
Individuals have increased their self-awareness and understanding of how they are perceived by others and have clarity on what is required of them to progress within the organisation.
When 360-degree feedback is used as part of a leadership development programme, it provides an opportunity to measure behavioural change as a result of individuals’ development activity.
For the individual, it helps them to focus and tailor their development, as described by a participant on one of our programmes:
“I found the 360 tool very helpful in reflecting on my leadership and management style, where I have strengths and also opportunities for development. Doing this at the start of the programme was also helpful as it shaped how I engaged in the modules.”
The 360-degree feedback and coaching process
The process begins with an individual completing a set of online questions to create a personal self-assessment. They then invite people who know them in a professional capacity to answer the same questions and provide feedback.
These participants are usually referred to as ‘raters’, and their responses are collated anonymously. A profile report is produced, visually comparing the individual’s self-perception with the ratings given by others. There is usually an opportunity to provide examples to support the rating given.
To get the best results, we believe that the profile report should be discussed with a qualified coach who is certified to use the 360-degree tool. Indeed, for some of the tools, this is a requirement for using it.
This enables the individual to have an honest and robust conversation, make sense of how others perceive them and be committed to taking action. The Coach helps them reflect on the themes in the feedback; identify the changes they want to make and agree practical actions.
360-degree tools are not static. Feedback from a few years ago won’t necessarily remain the same or still be relevant. Organisations, dynamics and people change, so it is important to revisit 360-degree feedback regularly as part of ongoing professional development conversations.
360-degree feedback and Team effectiveness
Beyond individual development, 360-degree helps teams understand how to optimise their ways of working and value to the organisation and support a positive working culture. Teams may open up conversations by sharing individual profiles.
Many tools offer Team profiles, which provide an overview of aggregated strengths and gaps, allowing a team to gain insight into how stakeholders perceive their effectiveness and impact in the organisation.
The tools can be highly effective at mapping areas for development, identifying gaps to address and revealing strengths that the team can build on collectively.
Client Example
We worked with the ExCo of a London based International Bank to help them understand their strengths and development areas as individuals and as the senior leadership team.
Working with the CEO and Head of People, we created a bespoke feedback tool using well-established leadership capabilities that reflected the context in which they were operating and the requirements of them as leaders of the Bank.
In confidential, individual debrief coaching sessions, we reviewed the results with each ExCo member, identifying the key themes, insights and actions they could take for themselves and in service of the team.
We produced an aggregated report summarising key themes, insights, strengths and development areas of the team within the context of the strategic agenda.
Using the data from the report, we worked with the team to identify how to optimise their strengths and make the required developmental and practical shifts that would enable them to deliver the Bank’s strategy.
In our experience, when the purpose and intended use of 360-degree feedback are communicated clearly, it also fosters employee engagement. It can open up communication, strengthen relationships, foster collaboration, break down silos and help create a culture of trust and development.
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