Research Paper: Why 360 Feedback Needs More Than Just Feedback

Leanne E. Atwater, Joan F. Brett and Atira Cherise Charles · Human Resource Management · 2007 ·

In this paper the authors examine whether simply implementing 360 feedback in a develop-ment setting is sufficient to improve leadership performance. They draw on existing 360 feed-back research and an intensive three-year study of its implementation in two organisations. Their central message is that organisations must pay attention to how feedback is implement-ed if they want to maximise its value.

Key takeaways

• Expect modest improvements: The paper highlights that organisations should not expect widespread, substantial performance improvements simply because their staff have received 360 feedback. The potential benefits are real but the process needs to be approached with realistic expectations.
• People respond differently: People react to, receive and use feedback differently and it shouldn’t be assumed that everyone will respond positively or be equally ready to change.
• Report production shouldn’t be the end point: What happens after feedback is received is an important part of the process. The post feedback report production journey is as important as the feedback report itself.
• Be realistic about outcomes: Whilst 360 feedback can deliver some great outcomes, it is not a guaranteed route to improvement. Its introduction alone should not be taken as evidence that leadership behaviour or performance will improve.
• Focus on the whole, end-to-end journey: The paper’s overarching concern is how to maximise the usefulness of 360 feedback. The authors argue that organisations need to attend to issues both before the process begins and after feedback is delivered. The implication is that effective implementation requires attention throughout the process, not simply the production of a feedback report.

What This Means for Your 360 Process

These findings support Lumus360’s 26 years of experience in implementing 360 feedback within a development setting. The feedback report is just a component part; if you want it to add real value, then get the whole journey right which means giving clear consideration to the purpose, its launch and the end of the journey:

• Clarity of purpose: Before introducing 360 feedback, consider what the organisation wants the process to achieve and how its success will be measured. Being clear about the intended outcomes helps ensure that expectations are realistic from the outset. The following articles provide some further reading on these areas:
• Link the 360 process to what’s important: Our article Strategic Uses of 360 Degree Feedback gives the 4 strategic drivers that 360 feedback can support in a positive way.
• Having realistic expectations for the improvement uplift: In our article Does 360 Feedback Actually Work? What the Data Says, we tracked the development movement of 40 leaders after they completed a 360 feedback cycle and it provides some realistic expectations about what can be achieved.
• Get the launch right: When an organisation broadcasts its intention to use 360 feedback, the questions asked by participants are always the same – Why? Who will see my report? How will the feedback be used? Etc… Their emotional response tends to be that some are ex-cited and relish the idea while others become anxious and filled with dread. Respond-ents also have similar questions and commonly raise concerns around anonymity and psychological safety.
  Having a clear plan for educating and engaging the organisation is essential and our 9 articles on 360 feedback stakeholder engagement are a great source of information for getting this right.
• Planning the follow through journey: Organisations also need to have a clear plan and process for what happens once the feedback reports are produced. It should consider how participants will make use of their feedback and how the overall process will be tracked and measured. Our article 360 Feedback Best Practices: How to Implement 360 Feedback Well provides a good framework for this.