Brown Bag Lunch

Feedback Goes Both Ways

Should I break for lunch – or do 360 Feedback for my boss first? It’s supposed take 30 minutes, but I think I can whip through it in 10. He is a good guy overall, so I will just mark all 4’s on the scale of 1-5 because that will be quicker. 

But I want to get my message through that I am not a fan of his new “mandatory attendance” policy for weekly meetings. Oh, got it! I will show that in the derailer’s section under micromanaging. Great! I finished in 9 minutes, just in time to meet Ryan for lunch. 

What if everyone on the team subscribes to this same approach for 360 Feedback?  What message does the leader receive about micromanaging? Does the leader get the message that his team does not like required weekly meetings? Do they not like meeting together? Is it something within the meeting structure they are unhappy with? 

Or do they simply dislike being told it is mandatory?  

Likely, you have been on both sides of the table as well. With limited time already, you are asked to take 30 minutes to provide thoughtful feedback. These numerical assessments will be the focus of discussion and deciphering for weeks afterward.  Perhaps you will be asked by multiple employees to participate in their 360 assessments. Then, there are your assessment results as well.

As a coach, I know the value of 360 is in being able to see yourself through the eyes of others in your workplace. While we focus on our intent, our colleagues experience our impact. This is why I have moved away from anonymous numerical assessments in my own practice to Shift Positive 360®, which is rich in dialogue. Focused on what the leader can shift in the future to be more successful, and on how others around the leader can support the change. It essentially allows me to coach stakeholders – leaders and employees.  

What does the comment of not liking mandatory meetings actually mean? Perhaps shifting to monthly rather than weekly meetings works better.  Or rather than labeling it as mandatory, saying that all who are available should attend.  Raising awareness that “yes, a meeting is going to be needed” for the team to be able to execute properly.  I find these spot-on actions within dialogue, not within a scale of 1 to 5.

For leaders and employees, there is a power and completeness in knowing what to change and how to align the team. We cannot recreate a better past on a 1-5 scale. Why not do that with the best Shift Positive 360® feedback possible?