360-Degree Feedback

Shaobang Sun, Ph.D. Patricia Keenan, Ph.D. Beverly Dugan, Ph.D.

Overview

Definition of 360-degree feedback How can 360-degree feedback help individual development?

Basic assumptions Challenges How do we think?

Better Integrating 360-degree feedback and individual learning Summary

A Personal Story
I

went to a store to buy some computer equipment. I really enjoyed the time at the store. When I got home, my wife asked: Did you find what you need? Oh, I forgot.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How Does This Story Connect To 360degree Feedback?

Organizations often forget their major objectives when they implement 360-degree surveys

They plan to use 360-degree feedback programs to develop peoples leadership skills Then they focus on how to implement such programs smoothly and successfully
It

is really a complex process

When they finish the process, they often have forgotten their original goals
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Definition Of 360-degree Feedback

A manager or supervisor is rated on a range of leadership competencies by people with whom he or she has a work or business relationship

Self, boss, peer, subordinates, customers, and even family members

It is a common belief that such programs are effective when used for developmental purposes but not for administrative (e.g. promotion) purposes

So, this presentation will mainly discuss how to use 360-degree feedback effectively to develop people

Definition Of 360-degree Feedback

A 360-degree feedback process usually consists of multiple steps

Planning buy-in evaluation instrument design or selection report generation feedback delivery setting development plan follow-up
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How Can 360-degree Feedback Help Individual Development?

Basic Assumption

Feedback can enhance self-awareness about own strengths and weaknesses

Based on Cognitive Dissonance Theory (Festinger, 1957), a significant gap between self-ratings and ratings from others can cause psychological dissonance. When this happens, people are motivated to reduce this gap and feel assonant again. According to Control Theory (Carter & Schneier, 1981,1982), when people detect discrepancies between their goals and their behavior, they are likely to take actions to reduce the discrepancies.
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Basic Assumption

Therefore, it is widely believed that 360-degree feedback can result in energy and impetus for change (e.g., Lewin, 1958; London, 1997). However, some challenges have been raised to this assumption

Challenge From Common Sense and Observations

A common sense perspective

Many people are already well aware of their weaknesses and strengths because of rich feedback in daily life Kaplan (1993) observed that too often managers are given feedback, dutifully resolve to do better, and nothing changes.

Observations

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Challenge From Empirical and Theoretic Research

A meta analysis by Kluger and DeNisi (1989) suggests that simply providing people feedback itself doesnt result in positive change.

Lower their objectives and/or reject the feedback that can be motivated to

Keep self-consistency Maintaining and enhancing selfesteem

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Challenge From Empirical and Theoretic Research

Goodstone and Diamante (1998) questioned the assumption that to know oneself is to change oneself.

Feedback is more effective when it focuses on behaviors, tasks, and situations However, the target areas of 360degree often are interpersonal styles or other trait-related competencies (see what feedback reports often present).

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What Do We Think?

There is a plenty of room between feedback and actual individual development /change

Feedback: How was a person perceived by various raters? Judgment: what does the feedback mean to the person? Intention: What does the person plan to do? Action: What does the person really do? Results: What does the person finally achieve?

Therefore, a lot of effort is needed to ensure that feedback can result in positive

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What Do We Think? (cont.)

Individual learning and developm ent are primarily individuals responsibi lities after providing feedback

Follow-up IDP Feedback Data Collection Instrument Planning

The process of 360degree feedback is often presented in this way.

This model can mislead people.

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What Do We Think? (cont.)

Conceptual model can affect peoples practice It describe its main objective, the individual development activities, as follow-up. Based on this model, organizations may fail to

Keep their focus on their original goal Recognize the difficulty of individual development Allocate sufficient resources Create learning conditions Provide important support and facilitation
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What Do We Think? (cont.)

It is important to model the process of 360-degree feedback in a way that

The primary goal can be emphasized or highlighted Organizational continuing support to individual development is addressed

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What Do We Think? (cont.)

People need to better understand individual development/learning process

A diligent and long-term process People need to overcome resistance to stretch beyond their comfort zones

Organizations and individuals need to work as a united force:

Personal goals and organizational objectives can be aligned Organizations can facilitate and support individual learning Organization can improve and even transform its culture during this process
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Better Integrate 360-degree Feedback And Individual Learning

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What Should Be Done At The Organizational Level

When designing a 360-degree feedback program, it is important to

make it clear that actual individual development /change is the major goal Better model the individual learning process instead of simply using followup

During implementing the program , it is important to

Align the whole effort with the goal of individual development

e.g., train people how to give constructive feedback in real work situations

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What Should Be Done At The Organizational Level (cont.)

After giving feedback, it is important to

Ensure to keep focus on the major goal individual development Set realistic expectations Allocate sufficient resources Provide supportive conditions Create a learning culture

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What Should Be Done At The Individual Level?

Better understand why he or she needs to learn or develop

Personal stakes Organizational stakes

Motivation

Find a good coach or mentor Have a focus

More is less and less is more

One of the keys is to identify one or two areas for improvement

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What Should Be Done At The Individual Level? (cont.)

Three ways to make a development focus:

Strengths

(from good to great)

Weaknesses when they really create problems Leverage strengths and compensate for weaknesses
Learn

how to mix them to have a better outcome

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What Should Be Done At The Individual Level? (cont.)

If you know how to play chess, you will know that

You have a total of 16 pieces Some pieces (e.g., 1 queen, 2 bishops, 2 rooks) are more powerful than other (e.g., 8 pawns) You cannot change each pieces power. However, you can learn how to manipulate those individual pieces more effectively to achieve a better overall result.

This is often ignored because it cannot be directly reflected in a 360-degree feedback report
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What Should Be Done At The Individual Level? (cont.)

Be patient, persistent, resilient and creative

Reflection is important Seek external support whenever needed

Emotional

Strategic Technical
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Benefits Of This Integration

Ensure the main objective, individual development, always a focus Both organizations and individuals are responsible for making actual learning happen

They work as a joint force Aligning personal development goals and organizational goals and objectives

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Benefits Of This Integration (cont.)

Organizations can provide sufficient resources and create supportive conditions and culture to facilitate individual learning

Ideally, organizations can finally create a feedback culture which is characterized as: People often receive constructive feedback from various sources on a regular basis People also often actively seek feedback for improvement

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Benefits Of This Integration (cont.)

When a feedback culture is created, it can help apply feedback theories more correctly

Research indicates:

Feedback is more effective when

Focusing

on tasks and behaviors instead of trait-type competencies Given in a timely manner Target leadership competencies Take a long time to provide feedback
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360-degree programs often

Benefits Of This Integration (cont.)

In a feedback culture,

Individuals can get feedback on a regular basis so that feedback is

Given in a timely manner more likely to focus on behavior instead of trait because of vivid memory

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Summary

Need to better model the whole process of 360-degree feedback programs with a focus on individual development

Conceptual model directs peoples practice You are going to launch a space shuttle instead of satellite

Satellite: not much follow-up is needed after it is launched Space shuttle, the real mission just starts after it is launched

Future research is needed to collect empirical evidence

How organizations and individuals can learn together

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Thank You!

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