Complete a 360-degree performance review
Smart entrepreneurs play to their strengths, avoid their weaknesses, and consider how others perceive them. But to determine the real truth about yourself, you need full-circle feedback.
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If the prospect of inviting employees, business partners and clients to think about your weaknesses scares you, consider this: it’s better to find out if you’re rubbing someone the wrong way before you lose valuable employees, associates and customers.

A 360-degree performance review can be a useful tool to find out if others see you the way you see yourself. It includes feedback from everyone you work closely with, including subordinates and clients, as well as a self-assessment to help you see exactly how accurate your self-perception is.

“We see our intentions, whereas others see our behaviours,” says Gavin Robinson, president of Toronto-based Robinson Leadership Training. Feedback from participants, also known as “referees,” is typically amalgamated to ensure anonymity because, as Robinson notes, “The reality is that you are more likely to get good, candid, constructive feedback if it is given anonymously.”

If you decide to take the leap and subject yourself to a 360-degree review, you do get to choose who participates. But don’t be too cautious when it comes to choosing referees; asking clients to participate can provide some invaluable insights. For all you know, you may be on the verge of losing a client because she’s unhappy about something you’re not even aware of.

“For clients, [360 reviews] are a constructive way of giving feedback. A non-constructive way would be for them to just take their business elsewhere,” says Brian Duggan, co-founder of Halifax-based Marathon Human Resources Consulting Group. “People generally like being involved in the development of those they have business relationships with, and are happy to participate.”

Not sure where to start or what to expect? Here’s a brief overview of everything you need to know about 360-degree reviews.

  • Find an objective third party to conduct the review. Look for an HR consulting firm with experience facilitating 360-degree performance reviews. Many HR firms, including Robinson’s, have proprietary survey software that enables most of the review to be done online.
  • You can expect to pay anywhere from $500 to $1,000 for a basic 360 review.
  • A typical 360 review for an entrepreneur evaluates 7 to 12 key leadership competencies, including things like team-building skills, client sensitivity, management style, leadership style, versatility, professional knowledge, political acumen, project management and values and ethics.
  • Reviews include feedback from referees like employees, clients and partners. Each referee interview takes 20 to 30 minutes on average, and can be done online using 360-degree review survey software provided by the HR consultant, or in-person. If the interviews are conducted in-person or on the phone, the HR consultant has a chance to ask follow-up questions.
  • Feedback from referees is typically amalgamated into one master document to ensure anonymity.
  • Results are usually communicated using both numerical and narrative findings, meaning the consultant shares the average numerical ratings referees provided for each competency (like on a scale of 1 to 5), as well as anecdotal feedback. For example, if a referee provides a low rating for the subject’s conflict resolution abilities, the consultant will ask the referee to provide specific examples of when the subject mishandled conflicts.
  • The entire process takes about 4 to 5 hours in total. If you’re using online survey software, it can be spread out over 2 to 3 weeks to give referees enough time to complete their surveys. If a consultant is conducting the interviews on-site, a complete 360-degree review can be done over one business day, assuming all of the referees are available.

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