360 Programmes Beyond The Individual: Driving And Measuring Culture Change
Most people remember their first 360 feedback; the first time they’ve heard how their colleagues really see them. The really great leaders I speak to have embraced the feedback, responded and been on a development journey (pardon the X Factor cliché) ever since.
I passionately believe in the power of a well-delivered 360 programme (see our previous blogs about 360 best practice). Some of the immediate benefits are:
- Increased self-awareness for the individual; clearly seeing their strengths and development areas, and opening up their blind spots, this gives a clear basis for ongoing development
- Good 360 analytics can provide insights into training needs for teams and departments, helping to effectively target training and development budgets and identify quick wins such as peer mentoring
Longer-term, 360 feedback alongside other L&D and employee engagement interventions, can help to underpin culture change programmes for the organisation:
- Regularly repeated 360 programmes can encourage a feedback culture that helps colleagues to give each other constructive feedback on a day-to-day-basis
- 360 surveys that are structured around a well-designed competency framework clearly articulate what ‘good’ looks like, providing a shared understanding of what behaviours should be aspired to. Competency frameworks can include motivation and values elements that also underpin the desired culture.
- Regular 360 cycles can help to measure the success of culture change programmes, using analytics to understand the extent of the movement towards the desired behaviours and where further interventions are needed.
Somebody’s first 360 can be quite an emotional experience, but that’s because it gets to the heart of what’s important in their role, to their colleagues and for their organisation. Harnessing that insight can pay dividends for individuals, teams and change programmes.
Sarah is a Chartered Business Psychologist and a Director of Bloojam Consulting. With 20 years’ experience working in selection and development, she is passionate about using evidence-based approaches to add demonstrable value to both the individual and the organisation.
