USING 360 DEGREE USING 360 DEGREE EVALUATION METHODSEVALUATION METHODS

IN EMPLOYEE EVALUATIONSIN EMPLOYEE EVALUATIONSSusan M. CypertSusan M. Cypert

Associate VP for Human Associate VP for Human Resources, SLUResources, SLU

PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONSEVALUATIONS

A PROCESS OF A PROCESS OF COMMUNICATION -NOT A COMMUNICATION -NOT A

SINGLE EVENTSINGLE EVENT

AGENDAAGENDA

1.1. Introduction / overviewIntroduction / overview

2.2. What is the 360 method?What is the 360 method?

3.3. QuestionsQuestions

4.4. How to do a 360How to do a 360

5.5. QuestionsQuestions

6.6. SamplesSamples

7.7. Questions - Wrap-upQuestions - Wrap-up

Why we shouldn’t be surprised Why we shouldn’t be surprised that this is a challenging issue-that this is a challenging issue-

How good are we at honest evaluation? How good are we at honest evaluation? Candid feedback?Candid feedback?

In our homes?In our homes? In schools?In schools? In relationships?In relationships? Politics?Politics? Social organizations?Social organizations? So why would we expect to be any better So why would we expect to be any better

at work?at work?

Opinions range …Opinions range …

from, zero support for performance from, zero support for performance evaluations … to … traditional must-evaluations … to … traditional must-do annual evalsdo annual evals

Not really in conflict – all opinions Not really in conflict – all opinions agree that feedback to employees is agree that feedback to employees is needed – HOW it is done makes the needed – HOW it is done makes the differencedifference

Continued …Continued …

Call itCall it Coaching – developmental feedback-Coaching – developmental feedback-

Constructive criticism – Constructive criticism – Appreciation – appraisal – Appreciation – appraisal –

What is needed is fair – regular – What is needed is fair – regular – frequent enough to be effective – frequent enough to be effective – honest, positive when possible honest, positive when possible

PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONSEVALUATIONS

When done as a cooperative When done as a cooperative conversationconversation

between supervisor and between supervisor and employeeemployee

Performance evals continued …Performance evals continued …

Provide a basis for coaching to improve Provide a basis for coaching to improve employee performance employee performance

Assist in setting goals for employee Assist in setting goals for employee development development

Assist in making systematic judgments Assist in making systematic judgments Provide feedback to the employee from Provide feedback to the employee from

multiple sourcesmultiple sources Assist in realigning the culture of a Assist in realigning the culture of a

department or organizationdepartment or organization

WHAT WORKS?

Mutual goal setting rather than criticism Day to day coaching rather than “flu shot” Participation by the employee (self evaluation,

mutual development of process) = greater ownership

Setting specific goals which are better than vague or general ones

– Ex: Vague: Improve customer service. Specific: Send out confirmation reports daily.

– Include a time dimension for goals– Goals should be challenging but reachable

WHAT DOESN’T WORK?

Straight criticism, especially without agreement on WHAT is important, or without examples

An evaluation that has poor credibility will = defensiveness

Direct tie to salary [surveys tell us $$ has little or short term impact]

The 360 DEGREE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION PROCESSWhat is it?

NOTE: 360* [degree] feedback* is a registered trademark of TEAMS, Inc.

The 360 – what is it?

The 360 degree evaluation process provides information to an employee from multiple sources

- a circle of stakeholders –peers – supervisor – direct reports –

higher mg levels – internal customers – external customers – vendors – consultants –others

= “360”.

Two lines of thought: Use the 360 for

1) Developmental purposes only. The information is gathered by neutral entity – not the supervisor – and shared only with the employee.

OR 2) Evaluation. The supervisor is involved

in designing, gathering information, and in communication with the employee.

CONSIDER THIS…

Because a good evaluation IS about development – if done correctly a 360 is good for both development and evaluation.

Because a good evaluation should focus on developing strengths a 360 can be a very good approach because the information gathered is from so many sources.

IN MULTISOURCE EVALUATIONS -

Peers and direct reports: will see how things are going

PLUS Supervisor: will see what is being done = The 360 provides a way to integrate the

two views

Surveys show employees prefer multi-source feedback to supervisor only feedback Edwards & Ewen, pgs. 182-183

PROS AND CONS RE THE 360 PROS AND CONS RE THE 360 PROCESS PROCESS from Jones & Bearley, pg. 11from Jones & Bearley, pg. 11

Shaver (1995, p. 13) points out that the Shaver (1995, p. 13) points out that the 360° assessment helps people 360° assessment helps people – uncover expectations, strengths, and uncover expectations, strengths, and

weaknesses that are news to them…weaknesses that are news to them…– broadens the perspective on evaluating an broadens the perspective on evaluating an

individual by using multiple data sourcesindividual by using multiple data sources– provides ratings that can become benchmarks provides ratings that can become benchmarks

in the feedback recipient’s performance-in the feedback recipient’s performance-evaluation processevaluation process

– may promote people becoming increasingly may promote people becoming increasingly accountable for their own growth and accountable for their own growth and development….development….

PROS PROS with credit to EDWARDS AND EWEN, with credit to EDWARDS AND EWEN, pgs. 3 - 23pgs. 3 - 23

Multisource feedback can get at issues Multisource feedback can get at issues the supervisor might missthe supervisor might miss

Peer opinion can change behaviorPeer opinion can change behavior

Multisource feedback is more diverse: As Multisource feedback is more diverse: As organizations diversify by gender, organizations diversify by gender, ethnicity, age, disability, race, etc., more ethnicity, age, disability, race, etc., more pts of view are needed for accurate pts of view are needed for accurate assessment [same principle can apply in assessment [same principle can apply in using committees or teams in using committees or teams in recruitment and selection]recruitment and selection]

PROS PROS with credit to EDWARDS AND EWEN, with credit to EDWARDS AND EWEN, pgs. 3 - 23pgs. 3 - 23

Can be tailored to the individual’s needsCan be tailored to the individual’s needs In planning the 360 the supervisor and the In planning the 360 the supervisor and the

employee can come to a clearer employee can come to a clearer understanding of what each believes is understanding of what each believes is important, which furthers the process of important, which furthers the process of developing a common language within the developing a common language within the department and the organization department and the organization

The quiet high performer might not be The quiet high performer might not be getting noticed by the supervisorgetting noticed by the supervisor

PROS PROS with credit to EDWARDS AND EWEN, with credit to EDWARDS AND EWEN, pgs. 3 - 23pgs. 3 - 23

The choices regarding what is important to be The choices regarding what is important to be appraised can be tied into an organization’s goals appraised can be tied into an organization’s goals such as a need for change or new emphases such such as a need for change or new emphases such as safety, diversity, or creativity as safety, diversity, or creativity

Probably less costly than other methods, though Probably less costly than other methods, though that can depend – but contrast it to getting the that can depend – but contrast it to getting the evaluation wrong, or to mis-applied training costsevaluation wrong, or to mis-applied training costs

Involves many stakeholders, valuing their Involves many stakeholders, valuing their opinions is an important message about their opinions is an important message about their importance [customers, vendors, unions]importance [customers, vendors, unions]

Interviews The questions should be developed based

on what has been identified as important. Will the interviewer be trained and open-

minded? Who will process the results?

Collins in Thin Book recommends: get examples of good work to illustrate the qualities you want to understand better

Validity concerns: Validity concerns: Rater bias and fear can lead to inflation Rater bias and fear can lead to inflation

– raters are afraid to be truly candid– raters are afraid to be truly candid In a truly anonymous situation with In a truly anonymous situation with

good safeguards the fear is reduced good safeguards the fear is reduced and the bias of friends and enemies and the bias of friends and enemies can cancel each other out as potential can cancel each other out as potential inflation and deflation.inflation and deflation.

NOTE: Ratings are relative, open to NOTE: Ratings are relative, open to interpretation. A “good”, doesn’t mean interpretation. A “good”, doesn’t mean the same to everyone: but for most the same to everyone: but for most people there is internal consistency.people there is internal consistency.

COMMENTS ON FEEDBACK:COMMENTS ON FEEDBACK: Examples are important, but don’t focus on the Examples are important, but don’t focus on the

unusual unless the single event is unusual or unusual unless the single event is unusual or very important. Look for patterns. very important. Look for patterns.

Critical incidents – a single event that is Critical incidents – a single event that is outstandingly good or bad, or very important outstandingly good or bad, or very important for some reason.for some reason.

THE OUTLIER FEEDBACKTHE OUTLIER FEEDBACK: There may be one : There may be one interviewee who has very different responses interviewee who has very different responses from everyone else – the “outlier”. Don’t from everyone else – the “outlier”. Don’t discount the outlier. The feedback of the discount the outlier. The feedback of the outlier could be a signal of a new and outlier could be a signal of a new and important but so far uncommon quality, such important but so far uncommon quality, such as risk-taking. Or it could be a sign of concern.as risk-taking. Or it could be a sign of concern.

THESE ELEMENTS ARE THESE ELEMENTS ARE CRITICAL :CRITICAL :

Clarity about purpose & processClarity about purpose & process

Trust - the Trust - the MOSTMOST important element – important element – runs through everything runs through everything

Consistency in methodologyConsistency in methodology

Dependable anonymity and safeguardsDependable anonymity and safeguards

FINAL IMPORTANT STEP:FINAL IMPORTANT STEP:

Get feedback to the raters – Get feedback to the raters – important to maintain their trust in important to maintain their trust in the process the process

RESOURCES

Buckingham, Marcus and Donald O. Clifton, Ph.D., NOW, Discover Your Strengths, The Free Press, 2001

Collins, Michelle LeDuff, Ph.D. The Thin Book of 360 Feedback: A Manager's Guide, Thin Book Publishing Co., 2000

Edwards, Mark R. and Ann J. Ewen, 360 Degree Feedback: The Powerful New Model for Employee Assessment & Performance Improvement, amacom – American Management Association, 1996

Jones, John E., Ph.D. and William L. Bearley, Ed.D., 360° Feedback : Strategies, Tactics, and Techniques for Developing Leaders, HRD Press & Lakewood Publications, 1996

Peiperl, Maury A., Getting 360-Degree Feedback Right, Harvard Business Review, January 2001