Conduct Your Own 360° Performance Review
by Heather Wolfson, CEO & Lead Strategist, Maven Coaching & Consulting
Photo by Avel Chuklanov on Unsplash
If you’ve ever had a performance review, you know the drill:
You sit at a table with your supervisor.
They tell you what they think of your performance at work.
They ask if you have any questions or concerns.
But did you know there’s a more dynamic way to gather feedback so you can level up your leadership skills? One of my favorite models for this evaluation process is the 360° performance review. It’s foundational to my leadership training.
Here’s why: 360° performance reviews are an opportunity to receive feedback from different vantage points throughout the organization: your bosses, peers, and subordinates.
This type of performance review can help you see your strengths and weaknesses with greater clarity and determine how you can improve upon them so you can reach your future career goals.
Best part? You don’t need to wait for a manager to start this process.
Leaders act through self-assessment. This article will cover what a 360°performance review is, how it is beneficial, how to conduct one yourself, and how to process the feedback.
What Is A 360° Performance Review?
Unlike a typical review, a 360° review is when a group of coworkers and managers provide feedback about a fellow employee’s performance. It’s called a “360° review” because performance feedback is solicited from all directions in the organization.
The assessment results allow you and your company to understand how your work is viewed from multiple perspectives.
This translates into creating an actionable plan to improve your skill set that helps you grow within your organization and as a business leader.
Benefits of Conducting A 360° Performance Review
360°performance reviews benefit leadership and team members through transparent feedback.
These reviews encourage professional development, increased accountability, and healthier workplace environments. Here are a few benefits of conducting your own 360° performance review:
Accountability: A 360° performance review helps you see your strengths and weaknesses, allowing you to focus on areas where improvement is needed. By carrying out this review regularly, you can seek the right help and pinpoint growth opportunities.
Promotes A Healthy Work Environment: Teams that understand each other feel more confident in their perspective roles. These reviews encourage positive dialog and create an open and honest work environment for both leadership and the team.
Personal & Professional Development: According to the 2017 Skills Gap Report, nearly 80% of Americans agree there is a skill gap, and more than a third (35%) say it affects them personally.
The 360° performance review is the perfect source for identifying skills that need improvement. In addition, processing the feedback can help you set new goals aligned with your career objectives (see below for how!).
How To Conduct Your Own 360° Performance Review
Conducting your own 360° performance review is a great way to analyze your performance and recognize professional and personal growth areas. Start by creating an email (or a form) asking questions like the following:
What should I stop doing?
What should I start doing?
What should I continue doing?
Send these questions to direct reports, peers, and supervisors to understand how you measure up at every level.
Pro Tip: On the day you send these questions, remind the participants to keep the responses honest and critical but empathetic. Their input will help you learn and grow and to become more efficient and effective in your work.
How To Process Performance Review Feedback
Processing feedback — positive or negative — can be a make or break for aligning your current work performance with your future career aspirations.
Ask yourself:
What are the three things you are most proud of based on the feedback?
Identify three areas you might consider modifying to enhance your skills and be more effective.
Based on what was shared, list three goals you'd like to work toward in the next three months that will help you be more effective.
Now you can prioritize your tasks to meet your most important objectives!
Use the feedback to create a career roadmap of where you want to go. As you progress throughout your career, utilize this roadmap as a guide, a compass to your future goals.
Takeaway
360° performance reviews offer a more rounded perspective on an individual’s performance, allowing you to see how you can play to your strengths while finding areas where you’d like to grow your career.
Make the feedback from your 360° performance review count. Book a free 20-minute session to learn how to evolve your leadership style.
