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360 Degrees of Honesty

10/09/2008

Chairman's Message

Recently, I received a call from a friend who was enjoying lunch at Bouchon, located in Yountville, the heart of Napa Valley. It is a delightful bistro, brimming with Parisian ambiance and a "must" stop for lunch or dinner, which I had visited myself while on a wine-tasting trip to the region in September of 2006.

The phone call and request for a great lunch spot coincided with the preparation of this paper, underscoring the importance of feedback from others to ensure that our perceptions are valid. Read on if you wish to know how to excel in the feedback/approval stakes.

360 Degrees of Honesty

When was the last time you took a good look in the mirror? I'm not talking about from the shoulders up as you brush your teeth, or even a full-length shot you might get in a dressing room at a department store or at your tailor's shop. I mean a full, 360 degree view. For many, including myself, this is a scary proposition. After all, mostly we like what we see in the mirror, or at least we're used to it - that vision is exactly what we expect, day after day. It's rare that we make the effort to see ourselves as others do. Makes me think back to when I first saw myself on video - less George Clooney than I thought!

Which leads me to the idea of 360 feedback, also known as "multi-source" or "multi-rater" feedback. The 360-method, referring to the 360 degrees in a circle, has been around for quite some time as an assessment tool in executive coaching and team-building. Now, it's making a big splash among executives who realize that in order to improve their organization's overall condition in general, and their leadership abilities in particular, they must get in touch with the way others see them.

Unlike traditional performance appraisals, where one receives input from the top down, or what is sometimes called an "upward appraisal," where direct reports weigh in on a superior's performance, a good 360 assessment takes a full picture by seeking feedback from subordinates, peers and upper management.

"Because managers rarely get good, honest feedback on their performance, they conduct business as usual, not knowing there might be a need to change," explained Jay Hargis, Vice President, Enterprise Solutions at Profiles International, a provider of various assessment tools.

According to Hargis, all 360 reviews should have the following:

The boss's observations - it's pretty obvious to include this at the top, however, the difference in a 360 review is that equal weight is given to all the input, so the boss's comments are just part of the overall picture, instead of the last word.

A self-assessment - this serves as a type of "benchmark" to be applied against how others in the process see the individual. This tends to be where the widest gaps occur.

Peer group observations - sometimes peers offer the most useful insight, because they work in similar positions with the same levels of stress and responsibility, and know what it takes to get the job in question done. Also, it's rare for leaders to be very candid in peer relationships without being asked directly, "How do you think I'm doing?"

Direct reports' observations - as with peer groups, direct reports are generally not going to offer opinions on strategy, tactics, communication skills or why last month's board meeting was such a disaster. Getting a take on how one's direct reports view them is essential when it comes time to analyze what's working and what's not.

Once all of that information is gathered, the next step is to see where, if any, gaps exist and make a plan to address them.

Margaret soon learned there were plenty of gaps after her 360. As the chief operating officer at a 300-bed, not-for-profit hospital in New Jersey, Margaret was a seasoned healthcare professional who enjoyed her work and felt she had made substantial contributions over her 12-year tenure. However, she was shocked when it turned out she wasn't viewed as the caring, empathetic leader she considered herself to be, but rather was seen as aloof and unapproachable.

"You could have knocked me over with a feather," said Margaret when she learned about the differences between how she saw herself and what others had to say. "Our organization began using the 360 assessment with mid-level managers first, and I thought it was a great idea and very helpful to effect much needed change, thinking all along that when my turn came, it would be a breeze. I was wrong. In retrospect, it was the best thing that could have happened to me in terms of further professional development."

Margaret enrolled the help of a communications coach for a few months to help her recognize what behaviors made her appear aloof and unapproachable, and she took measures to align her words, voice, and body language to better convey her intentions.

Hargis cautions that the 360 review is neither a "witch hunt, nor a time to exact vengeance." All comments must be honest, constructive and ultimately beneficial to the person being reviewed. His advice to those participating in the assessment of someone's leadership skills and ability is, "never say anything on the assessment form you wouldn't say to the person's face."

So often we're guilty of only hearing what we want to hear, and seeing what we want to see. It's pretty gutsy to put oneself out there and take the good with the bad. But it's exactly the way to show others you are human and willing to learn and change. What better example could one possibly set for his or her organization?

Management Quote

(From Wall Street Journal - September 16, 2008)

"At the Thomas Pink store on Wall Street, where men's shirts can cost as much as $450, Abby Kuskin, a sales associate, said she that she expects business to get worse. But "Maybe they'll be buying more interview shirts," she said."

(Chairman's note: There's always an angle...)

 

 

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