3 tips to avoid pillorying managers

Don’t pillory leaders during 360-degree feedback
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We are approaching the end of the year. During this period, many companies are once again scheduled for appraisals and feedback sessions of employees and managers.

360-degree feedback is particularly suitable for the assessment of managers, as it includes various perspectives and thus enables an all-round view.

However, many companies are concerned that employees will use the survey as an outlet to give managers a piece of their mind and thus pillory them.

Of course, this is not the intention, because it is much more about filtering out the personal or professional development potential of the manager.

This has a positive effect not only for the executive/management, but also for the subordinate employees.

Because only if the team acts harmoniously with each other, this also leads to a good overall performance.

We would therefore like to give you three tips on how you can avoid managers being pilloried when conducting 360-degree feedback.

Let’s get started with today’s tips:

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Easyfeedback Dennis Wegner

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Tip 1: Open communication (Preparation)

Even before the email invitation or cover letter for the survey, it makes sense that there is open communication between the manager and the team.

That is, if the situation in the team is tense or if the manager has the feeling that there is whispering behind the back, then this can of course have a negative impact on the assessments within the 360-degree feedback.

If this is the case, it makes sense for the manager to seek communication with the team in advance and clearly communicate the goals that are to be achieved with the help of the feedback.

It is important to make it clear that the feedback is intended to help the manager develop personally and professionally.

That the manager is aware of having weaknesses, that these are to be uncovered and proactively addressed with the help of the feedback, and that he/she is dependent on the help of colleagues in doing so.

If this is clearly defined and disclosed up front, the sentiment that employees bring to the appraisal will be much more constructive and benevolent.

Tip 1 Open communication

Tip 2: Questionnaire design (Introduce constructive criticism)

As the author of the questionnaire, you are in control of how the survey plays out and can guide your participants toward constructive feedback.

For example, start with positive questions to set a positive mood among employees as they complete the questionnaire.

If I assume that my team is not in a positive mood towards me and the first block of questions I ask is only about the manager’s personal skills. Then it can happen that I already lead the employees into the survey in a negative way and that the basic mood runs through the entire survey.

A better way to start, for example, is with questions about the global mindset or the goals of the company, since it can be assumed that there will be a certain degree of agreement here.

This way, the survey starts neutrally and you achieve a neutral-constructive mood among the participants, which then carries over to the other questions.

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Tip 3: The type of question (Do not use negations)

Sounds strange at first, but the way we ask the questions is the way we react to them.

If you ask the questions or the evaluation levels (good – bad) for the feedback of the leadership qualities in a negative form (e.g. What do you find bad about the leadership style of your superior?), then you already steer the employee in a negative direction.

Tip 3 The type of question

It is better to formulate the questions and assessment levels in a neutral way (applies – does not apply).

Always try to put yourself in the manager’s or employee’s perspective and ask the questions and assessment levels from this perspective.

Conclusion

So, those were our three effective tips on how you can steer the 360-degree feedback to a constructive feedback and thereby avoid executives being pilloried.

At easyfeedback, we offer a template for 360-degree feedback. Using matrix questions, the executive receives feedback in 10 topic areas. Feel free to check out the template for more inspiration.

360 Degree Feedback Survey Template
Test our 360-degree feedback survey template here

We wish you good luck with your next survey.

Start your own survey project now or let us advise you!

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