When not to use a 360 survey
So, you have been thinking about how to help your leaders to fulfill the mission that God has placed on their heart and are wondering what tools are available to help build self-awareness and capability. There are lots of good options to build self-awareness including using psychometric tests; asking trusted colleagues for feedback; self-reflection and meditation.
The main options for data driven leadership development are psychometric tools and 360 survey tools. Typically, a psychometric tool is looking to predict the impact the leader has on those they lead and work with, while a 360 tool is reporting the actual impact a leader has on those who they lead and work with. As such, a 360 survey is not for the faint hearted. However, Proverbs 12:15 reminds us that “Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to advice.” I get asked a lot of questions about whether an organisation should use a 360 survey tool for their leaders. I use both psychometric tools and 360 survey tools when I coach leaders, depending on their situation.
A 360 survey is used to assess the capability of an individual by taking into account various perspectives from key stakeholders in the person’s organisation or ministry. In 360 feedback, the peers, subordinates, managers and other key stakeholders such as volunteer leaders, fill in a survey describing the person’s capability. The survey usually consists of a number of statements rated on a scale (e.g. from 1 to 5) and includes the opportunity to provide additional comments. The individual also completes the survey to assess his or her own capability. A report is typically generated and debriefed. A good report should indicate areas of alignment the individual has with those who they lead and any gaps in perception. A good debrief process will highlight areas to focus development in and confirm strengths a leader has.
A 360 tool is best used as a development tool. It can be used to increase someone’s self-awareness as the 360 participant will receive feedback about the self-perception of their skills against how others perceive their skills.
When not to use a 360 tool
A 360 tool does not suit every situation. I don’t recommend using a 360:
During an external recruitment process. Candidates would need to include current workmates to get their feedback and that would compromise the confidentiality of the recruitment process. Plus, nominated reviewers may not want to share some of the candidates development areas, fearing it might jeopardise their chance of landing the role.
As a performance management tool. 360s tools won’t give you feedback about whether someone has completed agreed projects or achieved the goals set for their role.
When a leader is new in their role. Within the first twelve months of someone is a role they have not had the opportunity to display the breadth and depth of their skills to those they work with.
How to get the most out of a 360 Survey process
In order to get the most out of the 360 survey investment, ensure:
The people reviewing the survey participant are respected by the participant
They reviewers have known the participant for at least 12 months and interact with them regularly in their leadership context
The reviewers are willing to give the person feedback face to face about anything that comes up in the survey
The 360 survey is followed up by with a concrete development action plan to capture what the commitments a leader will make to developing their skills.
The Christian Leadership Framework offers a 360 Survey that can be customised to any leadership context to ensure the feedback that is gathered in the 360 process will give the leader feedback about their capability. Contact us if you would like to find out more about using a 360 with your organisation.
by Yvette McDonald
Yvette McDonald is the Director of Elixan Consulting, a people strategy business she founded after working 20+ years in human resources in the corporate sector. She lives in the Inner West of Sydney with her family and is passionate about seeing leaders flourish. Elixan Consulting works in the corporate sector and with faith-based organisations to provide unique solutions for aligning culture with strategy, organisational design, leadership development and employee engagement.
