The Practice of using 360 degree feedback in coaching

By: G. Inbavanan and Ganesh Chella

Excerpt from the two day conference conducted by T.V. Rao Learning Systems Pvt. Ltd., on ‘Life after 360 Degree Feedback and Assessment and Development Centers’ held on 16th December, 2008.

360 degree feedback and appraisal is one of the most popular tools used to gather data about the coachees. It is popular because it is easy to administer, very credible from a data perspective and most importantly is extremely actionable.

While 360 degree feedback is normally done using a tool, coaches make two departures

1. Coaches undertake personal interviews with the respondents nominated by the coachee instead of administering a tool, as it gives them a firsthand feel about the coachee and also gives him / her flexibility to focus on critical issues that emerge.
2. Coaches tend to use the 360 for feed forward rather than feedback. In other words, coaches focus a lot more on identifying what the coachee can benefit from doing in the future rather than delving into the past.

Presenting 360 data to the Coachee

Coaches recognise that their biggest job is to present the data rather than gather it. This is where skilled coaches stand apart.

As is the case in any feedback situation coachees tend to go through the classical stages of S.A.R.A.H. (Shock, Anger, Rejection, Acceptance and seeking Help).  Coaches use all their skills of empathy and encouragement in helping their coachees come to terms with how the outside world perceives them. Coaches spend quite often two or three sessions to help their coachees grapple with these new insights.

With adequate care coaches are able to distil key behaviours and competencies that the coachee should focus on to make a difference to himself / herself.

Setting coaching goals

The coaching relationship starts with a broad coaching agenda like “enhancing leadership effectiveness”. At this stage the coach may not be very clear about what will help the coachee enhance his/her leadership effectiveness. At the end of the 360 degree process and perhaps after looking at some psychometric tools, the coach and coachee may agree to work on a particular behaviour like assertiveness or work to overcome the mistaken belief of having to always receive everyone’s affection and approval.

Once the coaching goals are clearly defined the coach would have extracted real value from 360 and would have already put the coachee on the path of change.

Real life impact of 360 degree feedback

As an Executive Coach I have personally witnessed the real life impact that the 360 has had on my coachees. In many ways the 360 feedback when presented to my coachees becomes the inflection point in their professional lives. In all the executive coaching relationships that I have had and where I had used 360 degree feedback and in all the case of all the hundreds of managers for whom I have administered 360 degree feedback as a part of their leadership development we have seen that the 360 mirror is the starting of a new life. I must however add that the true value of 360 is delivered only when it is skillfully presented to the coachee or the participants.

When done in a mechanical manner it can do more harm than good.