For the 360 degree appraisal to work effectively and provide the desired results, it needs to be obtained from the most appropriate and different perspectives. Hence, responses received from feedback providers have been categorized into, like managers, colleagues, customers, employees and external relations. Insight can be obtained from different perspectives about the employee’s qualities and overall performance. A 360 degree feedback performance appraisal form having few predetermined competency targeted questions given is used for employs belonging to the different categories to answer to evaluate the concerned employee. Even the employee in question is to fill up the feedback form. This way, the manager is able to verify the number of areas overlapped and the discrepancies present in specific areas. For discrepancies, it will be useful to discuss the same with the employee whose evaluation is being performed and to come up with appropriate solutions to improve future performance.

Wonderful evaluation tool

This 360 degree feedback form is considered to be an amazing tool that is used by organizations around the world to support assessments. People evaluation in immediate environment is termed to be a mere random indication. Hence, feedback provider evolution is not necessary pertaining to the truth. Besides this, the tool can be considered to be highly efficient to prepare personal developmental plan. Also, it is used supporting career changes or identify further training requirements.

Effectiveness of 360 degree feedback tool

It is quite obvious and a known fact that business leaders are required to have great decision making process to become effective and efficient. Greater self-awareness among the leaders is an absolute must for the survival and success of any business, a fact that cannot be denied or neglected. However, as leaders are found to climb up the corporate hierarchical ladder, the chances of getting accurate and precise information with regards to their behaviour and performance spirals down.

Industry experts are of the conclusion that there are very few higher ranking executives who are found to score high on self-awareness as well as willing to receive and seek other’s feedback, especially from those not getting high scores on various competency levels. They only are found to be comfortable getting colleague feedbacks with regards to their on-going leadership abilities and behaviour.

Being comfortable with feedbacks received

An old, but popular and commonly used Swedish proverb states that ‘With eating is found the appetite’. People tend to become comfortable increasingly with more feedback received by them. The word ‘feedback’ for many is connected to something negative. It does take a good amount of time for people to come to terms that feedback is extremely valuable gift offered to them by the others and will not be painful when sought out and received regularly. Hence, it has become important to have strong belief in the 360 feedback’s value as central leadership development program. Also, it is termed to be a practical way to ensure that leaders in huge numbers in any organization are made comfortable towards receiving feedback from peers, bosses, other groups and direct reports. As soon as leaders start to find out the value to be enjoyed, they are only found to be interested to add on other group to the existing raters like customers, suppliers and even employees who are two levels below them.

Focusing upon core strengths

Feedback is found to be crucial to evaluate and develop strengths in the person. Researches have shown very clearly that leaders actually are not still familiar with receiving feedbacks on their weaknesses. At the same time, they are also not much aware about their actual strengths and hence, sometimes are found to underperform than what is capable of. This latter performance could probably be due to strengths often being termed as behaviours which come naturally to people. Since these were mostly acquired without making many deliberate efforts, the leaders often are not aware of their being good or bad in any situation such as problem solving, thinking strategically or being good team player.

The experts state that it is actually combination of strengths which helps to create extraordinary leaders who can deliver extraordinary performances. As leaders place more emphasize to discover their strengths, as well as to identify their weaknesses, the entire feedback procedure is provided with a positive aura.

Developing feedback rich environment

Frequently defined objective associated with leadership development has been termed to be the development of feedback rich environment. Hence, this particular culture, where the leaders are able to receive reasonably consistent valuable information stream does help to mimic the popular tagline of ‘relentless pursuance towards ensuring perfection’. Those who try to seek perfectly actively can find themselves much closure to availing it.

Selecting the very best 360 degree evaluation tool

There are readily available several 360 evaluation tool in the market. But not all of them are created to be equal or considered to be good and reliable. If the desire is to use one in the organization to improve employee and management performance, then there are few things to be taken into consideration, so as to make the final correct selection.

• Score comparison to high standards: There are many obtaining 360 degree processes are able to obtain results. Over half of the time, any participant is likely to obtain results which might appear to exceed the average. It makes them to assume falsely that everything with them is just fine and no additional development will be necessary.

• Research based: It is essential to get one which is based upon few empirical research and not on group of leaders pooling opinions. Irrespective of the used technique, which ranges from card sorting exercise to simple discussion, it still is found to be collection of opinions.

• Measure current impact of leader on direct reports: Information can be collected in the 360 degree process form which is also stated to be mini-employee survey.

• Emphasize upon developing strengths: Leaders are to focus on identifying as well as magnifying their existing strengths to have positive working experience.

It is noticed that over 852% of the ‘Fortune 500’ companies are found to use 360 degree feedback tool to help develop their employees.