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 360-degree Feedback? Organizations often forget their major objectives when they implement 360-degree surveys They plan to use 360-degree feedback programs to develop people’s 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

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

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.

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 Observations Kaplan (1993) observed that too often managers are given feedback, dutifully resolve to do better, and nothing changes.

Challenge From Empirical and Theoretic Research A meta analysis by Kluger and DeNisi (1989) suggests that simply providing people feedback itself doesn’t result in positive change. Lower their objectives and/or reject the feedback that can be motivated to Keep self-consistency Maintaining and enhancing self-esteem

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 360-degree often are interpersonal styles or other trait-related competencies (see what feedback reports often present).

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 change

What Do We Think? (cont.) Follow-up IDP Feedback Data Collection Individual learning and development are primarily individuals’ responsibilities after providing feedback Follow-up The process of 360-degree feedback is often presented in this way. This model can mislead people. IDP Feedback Data Collection Instrument Planning

What Do We Think? (cont.) Conceptual model can affect people’s 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 Make necessary culture changes

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

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

Better Integrate 360-degree Feedback And Individual Learning

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 “follow-up” 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

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

What Should Be Done At The Individual Level? Better understand why he or she needs to learn or develop Personal stakes Organizational stakes 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 Motivation

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

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 piece’s 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 Organizations may redesign work systems or processes to better use people

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

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

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

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 360-degree programs often Target leadership competencies Take a long time to provide feedback

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

Summary Need to better model the whole process of 360-degree feedback programs with a focus on individual development Conceptual model directs people’s 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

Thank You!