6 Effective 360 Feedback Survey Program Tips & 11 Must-Have Feedback Behaviors

On Page 1 of this 360 Feedback Survey Article I shared what Kellie Pickler (of singing contestant show American Idol fame) has to do with sales and leadership skill development - in summary the key element in common is feedback.

Getting really good at receiving feedback is important for all leaders and sales pros progress toward advancement and 'stardom'.  

With feedback we can overcome personal and professional challenges to become a stronger and better version of ourselves.  And while feedback is crucial we have a problem because so often we're not very good at asking for it OR in effectively giving it.

That's where well-run 360 feedback survey projects can help. 

6 Tips for Effective 360 Feedback Survey Administration:

Use these Tips to make sure that your 360 degree feedback project is successful:

• #1: Communicate in Advance: Explain why the survey is being conducted. 
  
  You must share why it’s important in four areas:  1) why it's important to the organization,  2) for the department, 3) to the team and 4) for the individual or entity receiving the feedback. (If you can’t effectively share the “WHY” in all four areas then that's a sign you’re not ready to conduct a 360 survey.)   You also want to explain EXACTLY how the information will be used and SPECIFICALLY who will see the results.
• #2 Process Tips: Use a survey tool that that assures anonymity to all people giving feedback. Survey Monkey does NOT send the message to Raters that the confidential information they are sharing is secure...   If Raters do not feel that their feedback is confidential, they will be less than forth-coming, and your data collection will be less than helpful, as the feedback share are not 'the real story'.
  
  Also, in your 360 feedback survey set-up make sure you have 3+ raters for each Rater category (except Manager). For example: 3 direct reports, 3 peers, 3 customers - this ensures also helps ensure a higher degree of anonymity for the Raters.
  
• #3 Train People How to Give Good Feedback: Provide instructions to all Raters on how to give helpful feedback. This does not have to complicated, but does need to be direct and clear.  (This is great sales and leadership communication skill development for everyone!)  
• #4 Great Role Models: Make sure that the people reviewing the results of each 360 feedback survey (the Coaches) also know how to give effective feedback to the Subjects who are learning about their own Survey Results.  Your Coaches should model the behaviors found in my must-have feedback behaviors list.
• #5 Do Something With the Data:  Survey Subjects MUST share an overview of the final results to all the Raters. Each Raters took time to give feedback; they deserve to know the results, and if nothing is communicated back to them most will become resentful.  (Read: my Just Ask interview article with a 360 feedback expert.)
  
  Also, get Raters involved in helping close any sales and  leadership skill development gaps revealed in the Survey. Get each Subject to let his/her Raters know what areas are being focused on for improvement. Subjects should ask Raters to share their observations when they see progress or when things are not improving.  (Review the Video in this Article - a review of Master Coach Marshall Goldsmith's book.  Watch closely the tips on the 'feedforward' process - a powerful & simple process for getting Raters involved.)
• #6 Culture: Make giving and getting feedback a part of your skill development culture - get and give feedback often, formally and informally.  It's most improtant that an 'openness to feedback' example comes from the top.
  

 “The leader of the past was a person who knew how to tell.
The leader of the future will be the person who knows how to ask.”
Peter Drucker.

Need 360 Feedback Assistance?  If you are starting or considering a 360 feedback project consider 20/20 Insight software SYSTEM that makes possible for you to easily measure the performance of a person, a team or the entire organization with customized surveys and done-for-you-survey-templates: Survey Software System  

If you would like to talk through your project with in a complimentary consulting call, or you think you want survey administration and facilitation assistance, contact Suzie Price.

11 Must-Have Behaviors for Effective Feedback

Here are 11 must-have behaviors for anyone who's giving feedback.  Overall, the number one best thing a Coach could do, if everything else fails: show that you care, even when the feedback is less than glowing. Really caring makes all the difference.

• #1 Demonstrate that you care.  (Review all of  must-have behaviors listed below, as they will help you SHOW feedback recipients that you care.)
  
• #2 Do not hold feedback sessions when you are tired, irritable, cranky and/or stressed-out. Plan ahead - get a good night's rest the night before.   Don't cram feedback sessions into an already maxed-out schedule.  Show up to the schedule feedback review meeting  rested, interested and with a clear-mind.
  
• #3 Tune into the person in front of you. Eliminate distractions such as phones, computers and people coming in and out.
• #4 Listen Aggressively.  The Definition for Listening Agressively is: To hear with determination and energetic pursuit, demonstrating a desire to understand.  (You cannot do too much of this.)
  
• #5 Use these physical actions to demonstrate a desire to understand: lean forward, use good eye contact, don’t interrupt and ask questions.
• #6 Cultivate and share a positive belief in yourself and in the Person Being Coached.
  
• #7: Use the 3:1 sharing ratio, which is 3 positive insights, to every 1 course correction.
  
• #8 ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS ask the Person Being Coached his/her opinion or thoughts FIRST. Example: “Suzie what do you think you did well? What would you improve?”
• #9: A Good question Format to Use: WWCD.
  -What happened?
  -Why?
  -Consequences and what would you do differently?
  -Determine what action to take.
• #10 Address behaviors, not personality. Eliminate emotional statements, such as “You always” and “You never”
• #11 Ask the Person Being Coached to review next steps with you. Schedule a time for follow up.
  

Benefit from the power of  360 feedback survey results by setting up feedback programs for success! 

Feedback is powerful - share it, receive it and you and your team willl grow and expand. Sales and leadership skill development is enhanced with surveys because they teach strong habits of feedback and communication.

 “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more,
do more and become more, you are a leader.” John Quincy Adams

Leave This 360 Feedback Survey Article, Go To 360 Feedback Survey Tool

Need 360 Feedback Assistance?  If you are starting or considering a 360 feedback project consider 20/20 Insight software SYSTEM that makes possible for you to easily measure the performance of a person, a team or the entire organization with customized surveys and done-for-you-survey-templates: Survey Software System  

If you would like to talk through your project with in a complimentary consulting call, or you think you want survey administration and facilitation assistance, contact Suzie Price.

Go To 360 Feedback Resource Page