Using the Informal 360 Method to Continuously Improve

10 years ago, Scott Edinger, founder of Edinger Consulting, co-authored the HBR article “Making Yourself Indispensable.” In the article, he provided a model to get useful and actionable feedback on one’s leadership effectiveness—and how to uniquely develop your strengths in those areas called the “informal 360.”

Leaders can improve their performance and build trust by asking employees for feedback and criticism, but the informal 360 works better when leaders promise the conversation will remain confidential, writes Edinger. “It’s powerful when leaders acknowledge their weaknesses, demonstrate their commitment to development, and make changes,” Edinger writes.

Edinger says “make it clear that you’re seeking self-improvement. Tell your colleagues explicitly that you are open to negative feedback and that you will absorb it professionally and appropriately — and without retribution. Of course, you need to follow through on this promise, or the entire process will fail.”

Unlike formal 360s which usually involve anonymous surveys, informal 360s are based on direct conversations with team members. The informal 360 is incredibly valuable for leaders as a means to seek feedback as well as develop stronger alliances with colleagues. 

Edinger makes two important points about the informal 360 — 

1. The good stuff is easy. The “fatal flaws” are much, much harder to uncover.

You will need to go out of your way to invite opinions that others think you may not want to hear. Tell participants: “I want to hear your real perspectives about the impact I have on you as a leader, even where it’s negative. I promise you amnesty — and that I will not respond defensively or with retribution, even if I don’t like what I hear. I value your perspective.” And then of course, you need to make good on your promise.

2. The informal 360 process builds mutual trust in a way a formal survey cannot.

While formal surveys can provide a vehicle for sharing comments anonymously, a common criticism is that comments lack depth or aren’t fully clear. The informal 360 stimulates a shift in the way people interact and discuss these comments. And since leadership is, at its core, a relational and interactive skill, the informal 360 facilitates a change in the way leaders discuss performance with their teams.

One beneficial effect of engaging in these open dialogues about areas where you can improve is that, over time, it builds the kind of trust that allows you to be frank with others. This is not to say that when you receive feedback, you immediately turn around and deliver your own feedback to the other person. That old phrase about feedback being a gift doesn’t suggest “regifting” right away. But graciously receiving feedback in the informal 360 can open a more productive dialogue about performance and the impact we have on others.

Our own HR expert, Lorein Brightwell adds, “Employees don’t leave companies, they leave managers—is a tried and true axiom in HR management. Edinger’s suggestions and formulas for honest feedback are admirable, but not always achievable in all work settings.  It is the HR professional’s responsibility that management, just as the rank and file labor force, has access to enrichment opportunities for building their managerial and leadership skills. Such fundamentals are not necessarily spontaneously acquired when a promotion names the next ‘king’ or ‘queen’ of the hill—or the manufacturing line. 

We often do a grave disservice to our ‘star’ performers by promoting them to a leadership position, without honed and continuously nurtured leadership skills. Skipping the whole nature/nurture discussion, training should be dynamic, periodic and valid.  Professionally led leadership and management training will inspire the type of leader who can actually show ‘continuous improvement’ to his/her subordinates.  Making it to the management level is not everyone’s end goal, but can and should be a new threshold for new horizons of skill acquisitions, scope-expanding responsibilities, humility and ongoing learning. Measuring leaders is critical, when we go back to why employees leave an organization. You cannot control (read develop) what you do not measure.”

Well, there you have it! Smart employers use employee/team feedback to improve at every level of the organization. And the smartest ones KNOW PLB Resources can HELP them deal with any HR situation effectively and get/stay fully in compliance—while building that AMAZING workplace! 

More info for smart employers

https://hbr.org/2021/08/encourage-your-employees-to-give-you-critical-feedback