Wednesday 17 December 2014

The 5 Critical Steps to Take Before You Launch a 360º Assessment


360º assessments can be enormously valuable. The feedback they provide employees from direct reports, co-workers and managers gives recipients the opportunity to recalibrate their behavior, give teams a path to boost their performance and give organizations a way to increase productivity. But too many of these assessments fall woefully short of their goals. We maintain that the fault lies on the front end…before you launch the feedback initiative.

Situational leadership training experts outline the important steps to take in order to have a successful outcome. Be sure you…

1. Know what you want and why you are conducting the surveys.
Figure out who will be included…executives, mid-managers, or the entire workforce. Identify the areas you feel are important to your company’s success. Establish how you will measure success and what you will do with the information you get. The feedback should not just satisfy curiosity but prompt decisions and action.

2. Communicate survey goals to participants.
Participants need to understand the purpose of the feedback and what you intend to do with the data once it’s gathered. Explain what skills and competencies you will be measuring and why. Employees deserve to know whether you intend to use the measure for further development, for performance reviews or for promotion consideration. The more clear you are, the more likely they will be to engage fully in the process.

3. Cover the how and when.
Once the 360º has been announced by the top executives, managers need to explain how the survey will be administered and when it will be due. They need to lead the way by setting an example of providing open, honest appraisals and by returning the questionnaires on time.

4. Be open about who will evaluate the information and where it will go.
Are the surveys to be anonymous? If not, be clear about who will see the feedback and if the remarks will be attributable. Full disclosure is fundamental to the validity and credibility of the assessment process.

5. Give participants a voice.
Set up a way for employees to ask questions and voice concerns. Despite all the groundwork on your part, there will still be considerable anxiety around the process. Clear the air and reassure participants by answering their questions honestly. This is your opportunity to reiterate the reason for the assessment and to get their support. If your purpose is to provide relevant development, say so. Employees should welcome the support of the organization to improve their performance.