Using a 360 Vendor will... "ease the administrative burden, reduce up-front investment, not tie up internal IT resources, allow the process to be managed by specialists in doing just that, and ensure rater anonymity."

Lynn Summers

Hand of Multi-Source Feedback




We've organized our articles by topic to make it easier for you to find answers. If you can't find the answers you are looking for, try our free research service and let us find the answers you need. Here's a list of the topics:


Getting Started With 360 Feedback

Best Practices and Common Mistakes

Implementation Examples

How to Write a 360-Degree Feedback Survey

Hot Topics:
Development or Performance Evaluation?
Creating Champions for 360 Degree Feedback
Evaluating 360 Survey Efforts
Rater Accuracy
Confidentiality, Overusing Strengths, Value of Self Ratings
Using 360's with the CEO





GETTING STARTED WITH 360 FEEDBACK

360-Degree Feedback: The Whole Story

By Kenneth M. Nowack

Training and Development Magazine, January 1993

This article is targeted at organizations hoping to use a 360-degree feedback system. The author discusses various aspects of the 360 process including: deciding what to measure, choosing an instrument, and helping employees accept the feedback they receive.  

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First-rate multi-rater feedback

By Allan H. Church

Training and Development Magazine, August 1995

Before you tie a 360-degree feedback system into your formal appraisal process, you need to resolve issues of confidentiality, validity, usefulness, and effectiveness. This article shows you how.  

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The pros and cons of 360-degree feedback: Making it work

By Mary N. Vinson

Training and Development Magazine, April 1996

The author looks at the good and potential bad of multi-rater assessments. She also makes suggestions for organizations that can help optimize the results of 360 feedback and encourage commitment to change from individuals.  

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13 Common Mistakes Using 360-Degree Feedback

By Scott Wimer and Kenneth M. Nowack

T+D, May 1998, May-June 2000

Hoping to help those beginning the process of designing and implementing a 360-degree feedback system. This article details 13 mistakes organizations often make when launching their assessment system and details suggestions for avoiding those common mistakes.

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Improving the Payoff from 360-Degree Feedback

By Evelyn Rogers, Charles W. Rogers, and William Metlay

Human Resource Planning

Based on the research of the authors, this article addresses six critical factors or best practices to maximize the benefits of 360-degree feedback.

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Outsourcing Issues That Make Or Break Your 360 Survey

By Bruce Bennett, MBA

This article examines three critical issues that organizations do not usually consider before making outsourcing decisions. While often ignored, the issues are critical to the success or failure of any 360 feedback process.

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Using 360 Degree Feedback

By Chartered Management Institute.

Reprinted in 2006

This helpful checklist provides an introduction to 360-degree feedback and provides an “Action Checklist” of steps to follow as you begin the 360-degree feedback process.

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How to Build and Use a 360-Degree Feedback System

By Warren Shaver Jr.

This booklet provides an excellent introduction to the 360 process and details several steps to creating a multi-rater process. Learn about choosing a vendor, creating a survey, choosing whether to build your own system or outsource, and how to deliver reports and feedback.

Copyright © 1998 from Training and Development by Warren Shaver Jr. Posted with permission of American Society for Training and Development

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360-Degree Feedback Mirrors Performance

By Jerry Nelson and Jane Haertel
Credit Union Executive Journal, September/October 2000

This brief article uses a series of questions administrators should ask themselves before they begin the 360 process. Issues such as what to measure, how to use the 360 (employee development, performance appraisal, or both), and who to evaluate are some of the topics addressed in the article.

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BEST PRACTICES AND COMMON MISTAKES

Pitfalls of Multi-Rater Feedback

By Alan Cheney, Ph.D. and Melinda Bremley, Ph.D.

This article, written by two human resources consultants, identifies six common mistakes organizations make in their uses of multi-rater feedback. The article addresses each issue and suggests ways to avoid the problems caused by these common mistakes.

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The Dark Side of 360-Degree Feedback

By Scott Wimer

T+D, September 2002

If 360-degree feedback is not administered carefully, people can take offense. This article addresses several areas that can cause problems within an organization using 360 feedback such as confidentiality, inaccurate feedback, feeling singled out, and poor feedback delivery.

Copyright © 2002 from T+D by Scott Wimer. Posted with permission of American Society for Training & Development

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How to Manage 360-Degree Feedback

By Peter Goodge

People Management, February 2000

When done correctly 360-degree feedback is widely applicable and clearly focused upon personal performance. But a number of 360 projects have been failures, and more seem to be going wrong. This is usually a result of the way they are set up and managed. This article describes a six-step plan for avoiding the pitfalls and ensuring that the process will be successful.

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Mining the Best from Your People

By Barbara Mintzer-McMahon

Executive Excellence, August 2002

This article discusses the value of 360-degree feedback in helping people understand how others view them and how this process can help individuals improve their work environment. The author emphasizes the importance of helping employees understand the vision and purpose of the assessments and feedback.

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IMPLEMENTATION EXAMPLES

360 FEEDBACK CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE
What your boss, your peers, and your subordinates really think of you may sting, but facing the truth can also make you a better manager.

By Brian O'Reilly

Fortune Magazine, October 17, 1994

Read about the real-life 360 feedback experiences of managers from various levels of several organizations.  This article shows how 360 feedback can influence individual change for the benefit of individuals and organizations.

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HOT TOPICS: Both sides of debated issues in 360 feedback


Development or Performance Evaluation?

360-Degree Feedback for a Competitive Edge

By David Antonioni, Ph.D.

Industrial Management Magazine, May-June 2000

Experts disagree about whether or not 360-degree feedback should be used for performance appraisals in addition to the customary personal development objectives  This article looks at one company that was able to successfully implement a feedback process that helps accomplish both objectives. 

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Creating Champions for 360 Degree Feedback

Creating Champions for 360 Degree Feedback

By Richard Lepsinger and Antoinette D. Lucia

T+D, February 1998

People can be hesitant to adopt a 360-degree feedback program. This article suggests ways to overcome the resistance to 360-degree feedback and gather support for the new program.

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Evaluating 360 Survey Efforts

How to Evaluate your 360 Feedback Efforts

By Kenneth M. Nowack, Jeanne Hartley, and William Bradley

T+D April 1999

One way to assess the effectiveness of your 360 feedback program is through a follow-up survey. This article details how to design an assessment that will help administrators monitor the results of their 360 efforts and use 360 feedback more effectively.

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Rater Accuracy

Patterns of Rater Accuracy in 360-Degree Feedback

By Robert W. Eichinger and Michael M. Lombardo

Human Resource Planning, December 2004

The authors look at which factors seem to have the greatest effect on rater accuracy.  Some of the factors analyzed are: gender, age, work history, confidentiality and position.

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Confidentiality, Overusing Strengths and the Value of Self Ratings

360-Degree Assessment

By Robert W. Eichinger and Michael M. Lombardo

Human Resource Planning

This piece is comprised of three brief articles. 

1.    The Dynamics and Value of Self-Ratings: looks at the value or lack of value in self ratings and the differences between the ratings of self and others.

2.    Should 360 Results be Confidential: This article addresses the issue of who should have access to the results of 360-degree feedback surveys and why.

3.    If a Lot is Good, More Must be Better: Overusing Your Strengths: This article looks at what happens when people ignore their weaknesses and how to help people understand themselves better to improve their strengths and work on their weaknesses.

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Using 360's with the CEO

Measuring the Boss: Just how good (or bad) is your CEO?

By David Parmenter

New Zealand Management Magazine, April 2003

This article addresses many of the issues faced by organizations implementing a 360 feedback system with a focus on its use to evaluate CEO’s.  The article also discusses the benefits of 360 feedback, what to assess with a 360 process, and other lessons of the 360 process.

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HOW TO WRITE A 360-DEGREE FEEDBACK SURVEY


What should my 360-degree feedback survey measure?

STAR 360 Feedback

Competencies are a sometimes confusing aspect of 360-degree feedback. To learn more about what a competency is and how to choose the best competencies for your 360-degree feedback project, read this article.

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Characteristics of a good 360 feedback survey

STAR 360 Feedback

Every organization is different, but the characteristics of a good 360-degree feedback survey are the same for every entity. This article details some of those common characteristics.

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Writing High Quality 360-degree Feedback Questions

STAR 360 Feedback

Writing a good 360-degree feedback survey is challenging. Learn more about writing effective survey items by reading this article.

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360-Degree Feedback Survey Scale

STAR 360 Feedback

360-degree feedback surveys rely on a scale to collect data. Using a scale allows data to be quantified and analyzed statistically. This article discusses the use of scale in 360-degree feedback.

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The posting of these articles is in no way an endorsement of any publication, product, author, or individual. 

These articles are posted with permission of the copyright holder and for information purposes only.

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