Do it right the first time!
360 assessments are a great way to evaluate development needs as well as performance of employees throughout the organization – from the top down, across, and from the bottom up. Some organizations use 360s solely for professional development planning; others use it as part of the performance review process. 360s work effectively in each situation providing that the organization implements them well.
Selling the 360 is Needed
In order to ensure that the implementation of the 360 is successful – meaning that individuals participate in the process and provide valid, honest and open feedback – it is essential that leadership sells the value of the 360s to employees (at all levels.)
This need to sell the value of the 360 is particularly important in organizations where 360s have been done in the past and have led to inappropriate sharing of information in the 360 and potentially retribution for participating in the process. Consider this example of one of Abudi Consulting Group’s clients whose new leadership wanted to implement a 360.
A pharma client wanted to launch a 360 within the organization. In particular, a senior leader, new to the organization, had participated in 360s in prior organizations and found them to be quite valuable. Abudi Consulting Group had worked with this senior leader at his previous organization and had assisted in launching and implementing the 360 there. Abudi Consulting Group was asked to assist him here, in his new organization. 360s had never been done in this organization in the past; therefore, it was important to engage employees – at all levels – in the 360 process to ensure understanding and participation.
The Process to Engage Employees in the 360
Abudi Consulting Group (ACG) engages employees – starting at the leadership level and working throughout the organization – in the process of 360s taking the steps defined at a high (overview) level in the table below. This table, specifically, focuses on engaging an organization in a 360 prior to implementation when such an initiative has never been accomplished before within the organization. We use a different process when 360s have been done previously but have been less than successful.
|
STEP |
DESCRIPTION |
EMPLOYEE FOCUS LEVEL |
|
1 |
Meet with leadership regarding the desire for a 360 – what is the organization trying to accomplish by implementing a 360. |
Senior leadership team |
|
2 |
Understand level of support at leadership levels (from executives down to mid-management) through small group and one-on-one meetings as well as through discussions with individual who tasked ACG with 360 initiative |
Leadership team (executives through to mid-management) |
|
3 |
Document the benefits and value of 360s, how the organization will be utilizing the 360 data, as well as outlining how the process works. Share with leadership team to get buy-in to process. |
Leadership team (executives through to mid-management) |
|
4 |
Schedule an all-staff meeting (on-site or virtual) to share details about the 360 – ensuring understanding of what a 360 is, the value/benefits, how data will be used as well as the process and request participation |
All employees |
|
5 |
Follow up with email sharing the same information as discussed during the all-staff; including information on a number of sessions held throughout the day and virtually to discuss the 360 further. |
All employees |
|
6 |
Hold a number of small group meetings, one-on-one sessions, phone calls, virtual sessions to discuss the 360, answer questions that arise and overall with a goal of increasing comfort level of the process |
All employees |
The goal of these six steps described briefly in the table above are to get individuals comfortable with the process of a 360 – its value, how it will be used, etc. By ensuring a number of opportunities for employees to discuss the process, share their own experiences with 360s and learn from others, participation will increase. The timing for this upfront communication level is based on the number of employees as well as how much the organization collaborates overall and enables for feedback within the organization. The less trust and collaboration within the organization, the more time spent in engaging people in the process of a 360.
Interested in implementing 360s in your organization? Contact Abudi Consulting Group to learn more about how we have worked with organizations to make the process a worthwhile and valuable one both for the organization as well as individuals within the organization.
