Are You Ready for 360?
Courtesy humanlinks.com
“There is a degree of readiness for 360-feedback programs. Organizations need to gauge how ready they are for 360. Because 360 is a powerful diagnostic/assessment process, it can be used in many areas of human resource development and personnel management. It will raise questions about how the system will be used and how it will affect people. Although 360 can benefit all employees, most organizations don’t make it available to everyone right away. They start with small groups to become practiced at implementation and to learn how to get the most value from the experience” (Tom Sullivan, M.P.A., Performance Management Listserve, February 12, 1999).
Is Your Organization Ready for 360 Degree Feedback?
The question of whether or not your organization is ready for 360 degree feedback is not a simple “yes” or “no” question as it may appear. That’s because 360 degree feedback is not a thing that can be packaged and delivered, nor is it a program that can be implemented on a certain date in time. 360 degree feedback is a process that involves identification of a “problem” to be solved, analysis of the context and current atmosphere for problem resolution, commitment of resources (both monetary and time), and a detailed plan for implementation and follow-up.
“The process of preparing for 360 is a development journey in itself. Few organizations that I know of are “ready” for 360 feedback. It is the “readiness work” that becomes most significant, rather than the actual 360. I have seen more growth and development in the “journey of preparing for 360” than I have with the actual 360 process itself” (Tom Sullivan, Performance Management Listserve, March 17, 1999).
What is 360 Degree Feedback?
“The (360 degree) feedback process…involves collecting perceptions about a person’s behavior and the impact of that behavior from the person’s boss or bosses, direct reports, colleagues, fellow members of project teams, internal and external customers, and suppliers. Other names for 360 degree feedback are multi-rater feedback, multi-source feedback, full-circle appraisal, and group performance review” (Lepsinger, 1997, p. 6).
In order for an organization to be ready for effective 360 degree feedback, a number of questions need to be answered. The effectiveness of the feedback is directly linked to the integrity of the process, and the integrity of the process is measured in terms of commitment, clarity of purpose, and follow-up. A 360 degree feedback team is recommended for accomplishing a detailed plan to address these issues prior to implementation.
The Balanced Scorecard
Utilizing the four perspectives of the balanced scorecard as a framework for examining organizational readiness, the team would involve themselves in creating a plan which addresses the following:
I. Internal Business Process Perspective
a.Is 360 degree feedback needed to support the implementation of a corporate strategy or the accomplishment of a corporate goal?
b.What is HR’s and top management’s role in the process?
c.How will employee development plans be created utilizing the feedback?
d.How will these development plans be utilized to align behaviors/expectations needed to successfully implement the corporate strategy or goal identified?
II. Financial Perspective
a. Are sufficient resources available to insure a high integrity 360 degree feedback process?
b. Have funds been budgeted for follow-up activities, such as staff training?
c. How does the corporate strategy or goal driving the process affect the bottom line?
III. Customer Perspective
a. What will be the level of customer involvement and representation in the 360 degree feedback process?
b. How will the corporate strategy or goal driving the process affect customers’ perceptions of the organization and its products?
IV. Learning Perspective
a. How will individual development needs identified in the process be addressed?
b. Will supervisors require training in order to address the identified needs of subordinates?
c. Will HR utilize aggregate data on employee needs to create an organization-wide development plan?
