Leaders don't make improvements over night. We can remove barriers to success though. What do I mean by this? 360 feedback programs provide a wealth of information to a leader because they can provide eye-opening insights on strengths and challenges the leader is likely unaware of. "Knowing" gets us so far, but how do we make sense of what the feedback provides to us? Too often I see feedback reports and wonder if my doctorate prepared me to read the gibberish in front of me. Simply put, its hard to read some of the reports. Not because of the negative feedback, but because it is written in a language so foreign to me, it's almost not worth reading. Even though the information may help me improve myself and my team, I just can't tough it out. Reports. Are. Dreadful.
When I think of how I read, it's not with a map or legend to help me understand the various symbols on a report. At times I believe I'm inattentive, but I am sure it has more to do with the fact survey companies believe the more complex the report, the more likely I will value it. That is a bad trick those companies are playing on you. The trick isn't to make feedback overly complex. It has more to do with providing honest, direct feedback that motivates leaders to make improvements on critcal competencies the company values.
Here are the basics to consider when you look at reports of any kind:
- Does it help me uncover how to get better?
- Am I able to read the report without the help of someone with a niche degree?
In other words, can an 8th grader read it? - Does each table or graph help me gain better appreciation for the information?
- Am I able to draw direct relationships from the feedback to my actual work?
- Does the report allow me to appreciate the demands of the workplace better and also
allow me to appreciate the people who help me be successful in the workplace?
With ThinkWise, we make it our pain to have reports provide simple, clear, and direct information, so you can make improvements immediately. If nothing else, we allow you to categorize what to STOP, START, and CONTINUE while valuing the feedback people have provided. It isn't a cliche: people do make up the workplace and if you aren't open to their feedback, you'll miss a wonderful opportunity to engage them in making things better.
What type of 360˚ reports are you using to improve your leaders and what do you like or dislike about them?
