360 evaluations are a great way to identify areas for improvement. They’re called 360s because feedback comes from all directions. This includes supervisors, senior leaders, peers, direct reports, other departments and even customers. Over the years, we’ve found three keys to effective 360 evaluations. This experience come from having conducted many 360s in Cincinnati and all over America.
When 360 evaluations are appropriate
We’ve coached hundreds of business executives. And not all had 360s. That’s because there was a crystal-clear understanding of the coaching goals.
That isn’t always the case. When the executive needs a powerful reason to accept feedback, do a 360. When management wants to be certain they’ve received input from everyone, do a 360. Or, when complete information is needed, do a 360.
Different types of 360 evaluations
There are two basic ways to conduct a 360 evaluation: phone calls and electronic surveys.
The phone interview approach works best when there’s a relatively small number of people. The ideal range is from five to twenty. Calls are also great when you want more depth from fewer people.
Even better, phone interviews are relatively quick. Most take less than thirty minutes.
Phone 360 interviews are fully customizable. Their power comes from having an experienced interviewer asking great open-ended questions.
Electronic surveys are also very effective. They’re best used when there are too many people to do a phone 360.
Question selection is key to making electronic 360s effective. In our system, we have hundreds of categories and thousands of potential questions. Of course, not all apply in every situation. That’s where we leverage our experience—and work with management—to select the right ones.
Three keys to effective 360 evaluations
Here are the three keys to success.
- Capture candid feedback in meaningful areas. Make sure responses are anonymous and relevant.
- Organize feedback into actionable categories. Put the information and insights into a logical format.
- Implement coaching so the most important changes take hold. Present the 360 findings in a way to ensure the greatest likelihood of positive development.
360 evaluation expert Krissi Barr
Krissi Barr is a 360 expert. So is her team at Barr Corporate Success. If you’re ready to put the three keys to effective 360 evaluations to work for you, give Krissi a call. She has successfully coached hundreds of business executives. She’s the #1 executive coach in Cincinnati and the top 360 implementer. So, whether you’re in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Florida or anywhere in America, trust Barr to help you achieve your objectives.
