360 Performance Feedback

Getting to the top matters - A LOT!  At least for the ambitious and competitive.  Yet, we never want to lose sight of the fact that how we get there, and remain there, matters just as much. 

Compromising the values of your organization, or your own personal values, is never the way to accomplish this.  Does anyone really want to be that man/woman who is unaware of the conversations about their lack of leadership and management training or questionable ethics when they aren't within earshot?  No.  While their "work" or accomplishments may be noted or "respected", those close enough to know how they do it don't respect them as an individual or true professional. 

In navigating success we need to have an idea of the perception we create as seen through the eyes of those around us.  A 360 assessment provides access to this candid, and essential, information.  It's confidential for those who provide the 360 performance feedback, allowing an individual to truly know how they are viewed by colleagues; subordinates and even those they do business with outside of their organization.  Then, our 360 Feedback Process can create a strategy for improvement, along with the data.

Respecting your work, you, and the means by which you accomplish your business results defines you as a professional.

According to Socrates, the unexamined life is not worth living.  Hence, we must strive to, "Know thyself".  Whether or not we agree that it determines the worth of life, many view it as vital to making it a fulfilling one and put forth effort into doing so.  All types of avenues are taken in this pursuit.  Is feedback from other sources a requirement on the journey to "know thyself"?  Could 360 performance feedback or a personality assessment actually help an individual know themselves better than they already do? 

At first, it seems somewhat odd to assume anyone else, or anything, could know us the way we know ourselves.  We are always there.  We know why we take action, or choose not to.  We are fully aware of the reasons behind the choices we make.  We know where all of our strengths lie, right?  When other people don't laugh at our jokes, it's just because they didn't get it...isn't it?  Okay, maybe comedy isn't one of my strengths. 

Truthfully, most of us need feedback on a regular basis to provide objectivity that isn't filtered by our own perceptions of ourselves.  People simply aren't that good at it - when it comes to ourselves.  360 Assessments are great for this because they provide you with the candid feedback to "know thyself" that we need for professional improvement.  It alleviates the anxiety most of us would have about providing honest, unfiltered feedback to anyone we anticipate seeing again - especially in a professional environment.  Truly understanding how you are perceived by those you interact with; report to and manage is unquestionably pertinent and relevant to your work. 

Personality assessments are also helpful here in adding perspective to your own point of view.  After we better understand ourselves, comes an increased ability to manage ourselves and our interactions with others for the business results we hope to achieve. 

I was recently engaged by a client to conduct some executive coaching to achieve better organizational alignment.  After receiving some 360 performance feedback, it became apparent that the autocratic management style of the chief executive was restricting the growth of the organization and its people. The inherent commanding leadership style was effective as long as the CEO was around and could monitor what was happening; but as the business grew and demands were placed upon him to be out of the office more, his presence, and hence his ability to control output, was continually challenged.  The future growth of the organization and its employee productivity was being restricted by his capacity to touch it.  The strategic planning process was done in his office and it was not a collabrative effort with his critical team members.

Power is one of those things we are granted by others temporarily.  Power associated with position or title is only perceptual power.  Real power is something you earn in your organization.  It cannot be assumed.  It is given for reasons other than authority, position, hierarchy or title.  It is only given for reasons like respect, admiration, quality of relationship, because others believe you, or you have their best interest as a priority, etc.  Additionally, power is held in all levels within the organization.  If someone in a lower position uses real power while you use positional power they can have a far greater impact on your staff than you do, despite or your hieacrhial advantage.

In the research for Crucial Confrontations the researchers discovered a proportional link between the types of power used and success or failure.  The more position power (authority) was used the less successful leaders were.

Since your authority resides within you, like you it leaves the room when you leave.  If you want your influence to remain after you leave, you have to rely on more than just authority.  People who possess true power never really need, and seldom do, tell others they have power.  Threats or ultimatums are simply not necessary to accomplish what they need to get done.  Does your power stick around after you leave the office?  Do things run as smoothly or efficiently when you're not there?  Are you hesitant to leave or not be involved because the wheels tend to come off when you unplug?  

Take a minute a download the leadership white paper from the link on the top left of the page or e-mail me at tgross@advisausa.com 

 

Assessment Fatique

Imagine that you're not feeling very well.  Something's sapping your energy, slowing you down and generally making you operate at less than your optimum.  You consult several specialists and each performs some kind of assessment.   By week's end, you've been poked and prodded and thoroughly examined in a number of ways.  In our example, each specialist provides really good insight that explains some of your symptoms but not all. 

If only someone could draw upon all the information, connect the dots, and provide a conclusive diagnosis and prognosis!

Increasingly, for-profit and not-for-profit companies are using assessments e.g. Predictive Index®, Wonderlich and variety of 360 tools.  Malcolm Gladwell writes in "What the Dog Saw" that more data does not necessarily lead to better decisions.  The same applies to assessment output employers accumulate.  If the data is buried in multi-page reports that busy managers are loathe to absorb, the value of the data can fall to zero.

Isolated piles of data distract from the real purpose of gathering the data which is to optimize employee productivity and job performance.  Only when the data collected provide insight into employee past performance; and suggest ways to optimize future employee productivity and performance, is the data transformed into gold.

Turning data into gold

To connect the dots from the assessments and evaluations you employ into a more effective leadership-employee development program, consider a process like this:

1. Start with a frank discussion about individual performance using definable balanced scorecard metrics and competencies
2. Arrange for managers to meet with a coach (internal or otherwise) who is trained to interpret the assessments and knows how to relate their output to the manager's performance evaluation (1). 
3. The manager creates a personal development plan (PDP) that optimizes strengths and addresses shortcomings.
4. The manager reviews his/her PDP with his/her supervisor.

This augments and extends your existing evaluation process while providing added "push" to your efforts.  It connects past performance and assessment feedback to your expectations for future results.  It communicates your expectations clearly, leaving no question about the challenges ahead and how the managers on your team are expected to respond.   It compels every manager to connect dots between his/her actual performance and assessments in the form of specific action plans; and, it can transform your performance evaluation process into a continuing conversation with improved employee productivity as a result.

At ADVISA we are in the business of creating confident organizations.  Part of the manner in which we do this is by partnering with clients to strengthen leadership for measurable results.  Thus, you can imagine this is a topic on many shelves and the tips of countless tongues. 

Recently, I was reading Leadership Is An Art by Max De Pree for a book club I've joined.  (If you haven't read it, I recommend it highly.  A quick, yet insightful, read.)  In it, I found many thoughts worth highlighting and noting.  The following quote, however, virtually summed up why ADVISA is in business and stood out significantly to me.

"Business has been moving for many years - and will continue to do so - from a posture and practice of management through power to a process of leadership through persuasion." 

Whether giving thought to motivational sales training or team building skills, leadership is being approached differently.  And, I challenge you to invest in both sides of this coin for true success - yourself and potential leaders.

• Reflection vs. Feedback - Asking the mirror how fair we are never takes us very far.  We are limited to our own perceptions of ourselves and leadership styles through which to filter our reflection.  Maturity helps as does our own reflection.  Feedback from others on which to build, however, is priceless.  Only a 360 Assessment can provide you access to this information.  The purpose is not simply an anonymous portrait of what others think and see, but what they don't perceive to be present. 
   
• Goals vs. Potential - Reaching your goals is not sufficient if it doesn't include reaching your potential.  Providing the opportunity for this is not as easy as it sounds.  Indeed, it can be quite difficult actually.  There is the risk of failure, or simply not taking the route you would.  Artful leadership can be the difference between those who simply check items from lists and truly attempt to fly.

As we seek to improve our teams and overall organizational performance, we must also stop regularly and assess our individual leadership as a vehicle for personal potential.

What is 360 feedback and why should I be interested?  360 performance feedback is about trying to get your arms around how others perceive you and your actions.  They should never be used as a part of an objective performance review as they are not intended to measure someones actual performance.  They are intended to measure people's perceptions of you and your actions.  The results should be between the individual and their executive coach.  


Having said that you still have to manage people's perceptions.  They are as influential and potentially as harmful as reality.  They are in fact each persons reality until you prove otherwise.  You must first own them and if you do not like them, do what it takes to change them.  People do not leave jobs, they leave managers.  If you truly want to do a better job of employee retention, motivation and engagement you need to know how you are perceived and work to make those perceptions what you want them to be.  


I cannot begin to tell you how many times people have been astounded, and frankly even hurt, by getting the feedback.  But the upside is once they have discovered the data they can go about changing it.  It is far better to learn and improve than remain in an uninformed vacuum and continue to see the fallout, not knowing why.  Conversely there are almost always some very positive surprises.  If you engage in the 360 assessment process annually you can begin to track positive trends.  


I had a senior manager with a client company dramatically improve his standing with ownership by repeating his 360 and having it reflect positive progress in areas that were previously problem areas and potential career stallers.  Knowledge is power and this is one more piece of data you can use to up your leadership development skills with yourself and your management team.  

We've been talking amongst ourselves within Advisa about blogging for more than a year.  What would it accomplish?  Would it be worth the effort and time?

What finally sold us?  We signed a client (Compendium) that was a blogging specialist and wound up hiring one of their employees (BJ McKay).  They first convinced us their services would be a valuable asset and BJ is helping us through the process of demonstrating just that.

So, in keeping with our efforts to create Organizational Confidence, all 15 of our people will be contributing on topics like Creating a Strategic Plan, Sales Process Training, 360 Performance Feedback and the Importance of Employee Motivation.

I'm excited to be a part of the process and to watch how it will all play out in the evolution of Advisa as an organization.  Please let me know if you have any thoughts, questions or ideas and I'll do my best to use your feedback to assure our blogs are helpful in making your organization as successful as it can be.