360 Feedback Questions for Senior Executives
This article outlines the key 360 feedback areas for evaluating senior executives and highlights the most useful questions for assessing executive-level leadership performance.
These questions focus on the critical capabilities required to lead effectively at the highest organisational level and reflect the expectations defined in the Chartered Management Institute’s (CMI) Professional Standard for Stage 5 – Senior Executives.
At this level, leadership extends beyond managing teams or divisions. Senior executives are expected to define organisational vision, shape culture, influence stakeholders, and ensure sustainable performance in a complex and rapidly changing environment.
This set of 360 feedback questions focuses on three key areas of capability:
- Personal Effectiveness: Demonstrating integrity, visionary leadership, and strategic judgement
- Interpersonal Excellence: Inspiring confidence, influencing stakeholders, and fostering global collaboration
- Organisational Performance: Setting enterprise strategy, managing transformation, and ensuring sustainable growth
If you’re looking for questionnaires designed for other levels of leadership, see our related articles on:
360 Feedback Questions for Senior Executives – Key Areas & Most Useful Questions”
(Based on CMI Stage 5 Professional Standards)
Personal Effectiveness
Role-modelling organisational values, demonstrating visionary leadership, and exercising strategic judgement
- Acts with integrity and sets the ethical tone for the organisation
- Role-models organisational values and professional standards
- Demonstrates resilience when managing highly complex challenges
- Uses strategic foresight and judgement to balance risk and opportunity
- Makes effective decisions in ambiguous and uncertain environments
- Inspires confidence through credibility, authenticity, and consistency
- Communicates organisational vision clearly and persuasively
- Adapts leadership style to influence diverse global audiences
- Reflects on leadership impact and seeks opportunities for personal growth
Interpersonal Excellence
Inspiring, influencing, representing, and building trust with stakeholders
- Articulates a compelling organisational vision that inspires action
- Builds alignment and confidence across executive teams and functions
- Develops future organisational leaders through coaching and mentoring
- Uses influence effectively to secure support for strategic initiatives
- Establishes trusted relationships with shareholders, investors, and partners
- Represents the organisation confidently with external stakeholders, regulators, and the media
- Champions diversity, equity, and inclusion to shape organisational culture
- Builds strategic networks and partnerships nationally and internationally
- Handles high-stakes conflict constructively while maintaining strong relationships
Organisational Performance
Setting strategy, driving transformation, managing systemic risks, and delivering long-term value
- Defines and communicates the organisation’s long-term strategic vision
- Aligns organisational priorities with broader economic, social, and environmental trends
- Scans the external environment to anticipate disruption and opportunity
- Champions innovation to create sustainable value for stakeholders
- Leads enterprise-wide transformation with clarity and confidence
- Balances shareholder, stakeholder, and societal expectations when making decisions
- Establishes robust governance, compliance, and risk management frameworks
- Ensures sustainable growth and organisational resilience
- Holds self and others accountable for enterprise-wide performance
- Deploys resources effectively to maximise long-term organisational impact
Why Link to the CMI Professional Standard
Basing these 360 feedback questions for senior executives on the CMI Stage 5 Professional Standard ensures the assessment is aligned with an established, evidence-based framework for leadership excellence. The CMI standards define the behaviours, capabilities, and expectations required at the highest organisational level, providing a trusted benchmark for evaluating executive effectiveness.
For more information, visit the Chartered Management Institute.
Frequently Asked Questions About 360 Feedback for Senior Executives
Q. What are the key 360 feedback areas for evaluating senior executives?
A. Target questions that examine integrity, visionary leadership, strategic judgement, ability to inspire confidence, adapt influence across diverse audiences, represent the organisation externally, champion diversity, and build strategic partnerships.
Q. Which 360 questions are most useful for assessing executive-level leadership performance?
A. Target questions that assess setting and communicating long-term vision, balancing stakeholder expectations, leading enterprise-wide transformation, ensuring sustainable growth, establishing governance and resilience, driving accountability, and deploying resources effectively.
