What is a 360 Degree Evaluation?
Definition
A 360 Degree Evaluation is a process in which a leader receives honest and anonymous feedback from members of his or her immediate circle. This can include managers, colleagues, direct reports, and Board members. It can also include a self-assessment. The main benefit of gathering feedback in this way is so that the evaluated leader can get a clear picture of all areas of strength as well as those with room for improvement.
A key challenge that arises in the 360 Degree Evaluation process is the ability to keep feedback honest without the benefit of anonymity. This is where Evaluation Insight can help, as we facilitate the gathering of all comments and ratings so that sensitive material is kept private. We have consistently seen that participants feel more free to be honest when they provide the feedback to an outside company rather than their own. Honest information is of course more beneficial for you, so you can take the evaluation results and continue to improve.
Who is it for?
A 360 Degree Evaluation is beneficial for any leader or organization that wants to gather honest, thorough and constructive feedback. This can mean anyone from a CEO, to a President of a school, to employees at a bank. We have highlighted some particular industries that have benefited from our Evaluation in the past, but it is in no way limited to the following.
Educational institutions
Educational institutions are constantly trying to bring the highest level of intellect and innovation to their most important stakeholders -- the students. But they are also often limited by several factors that can propose unique challenges, which means that a continuous feedback process is supremely important. EI has worked with a wide array of educational institutions, and the following are examples of the way the 360 Degree Evaluation can be uniquely catered to those in this field:
Administration: Principals, superintendents, and school boards can all greatly benefit the 360 Degree Evaluation process. With the incredibly demanding aspects of these jobs, gathering feedback can fall by the wayside, but studies have shown that periodic and honest evaluations lead to better management. Additionally, since administration officials often have a wide circle, it is especially important to check in with all members to make sure everyone is being heard.
Teachers: Like the administration, teachers also have incredibly demanding jobs that can leave little time for periodic feedback. But again, this is why it is essential to use the 360 Degree Evaluation as a tool for constant improvement. Did the new teaching method work well? Did students succeed? Did parents feel included? These are all important questions for teachers to ask as they continue their primary efforts in the classroom.
Educational Programs & Courses: Setting the curriculum and new education initiatives is one of the most important, if not the most important, step in the process of an education leader. And though the success of these decisions is sometimes assessed in ways such as test scores, we have seen that it is not enough to only look at one aspect of the program or course to evaluate it. You also need to know how other teachers felt, how resources were allocated, how easily the students followed the plan, and so on. By utilizing a full 360 Degree Evaluation process for the whole curriculum or for a single new program, educators can gain valuable insight that will allow them to focus fully on their students.
Nonprofits
Nonprofits know better than most that effective use of resources is vital to success. Such resources can vary from funding to volunteers, but all need to be evaluated periodically. What are more specific ways EI can help nonprofits? Here are just a few:
Nonprofit Leadership: Is your leadership team making the best impact on your cause? Are they constantly trying to reach new goals? Are they aware of budget issues? These are the types of factors that EI can customize with you to evaluate your nonprofit leader or leadership team.
Programs: Were your efforts successful? Did you allocate resources successfully? Can you improve logistics going forward? These are crucial questions to ask after, or even before, any nonprofit event. EI can assist you in gathering answers to these questions anonymously and honestly. This, in turns, allows you to focus your efforts on continually promoting your cause effectively and efficiently.