This post is provided by Linda Doe, following an exchange of emails where we disagreed on when to hand over the feedback report. My comment on the post will follow! Many thanks to Linda for providing the following:
"A question I am asked often is: but when do we show the person their 360 feedback results? Before they have their feedback session? Or wait until they get there? There is no one answer to this, it's a question of judgement. But generally, I advise that reports should be given to individuals about a week in advance fo their feedback session, providing of course that the 360 views are non-attributable to the individuals who have contributed.
Why? - several reasons. Because there should be no harsh surprises with appraisal data: if managers and apprasiers are on-the-ball, any serious relationship or management issues should be dealt with in a timely fashion, on an ongoing basis, not left until yearly appraisal.
Often the fear of upsetting or difficult responses is greater than the reality: in my experince of helping companies with appraisal, more often than not, responses to 360 are helpful, constructive and - and here is the important bit - need time to sink in for the individual to appreciate their impact and to prepare and engage in discussion about them. Further, appraisal at its most effectrive should not be a top-down, management-led tool: individuals need to be highly engaged in its process and buy-in is essential. How can someone prepare for their appraisal session, contribute meaningfully, when they are seeing the results for the first time at the session? The apprasier has not only the unfair advantage, but this also sets up a "teacher knows best" scenario.
My advice would be to place appraisal carefully in the culture of the organisation, so that no nasty surprises emerge...and if on those rare occasions that they do, make sure the data is sent to the individual accompanied by a telephone call or note of reassurnace that "everything will be discussed fully when we meet". If you are really worried, then last resort is to show the responses at appraisal interview - with an explanation of why.
On balance, its better, in my professional view, to risk the odd sensitive set of responses being misunderstood, than to perpetuate the "manager knows best" top-down approach. That said - if your organisation has avoided difficult and sensitive issues - watch out! - they will certainly emerge with a good, confidential, 360 tool and process.
From, Linda Doe, Chartered Business Psychologist, www.psychatwork.co.uk
"A question I am asked often is: but when do we show the person their 360 feedback results? Before they have their feedback session? Or wait until they get there? There is no one answer to this, it's a question of judgement. But generally, I advise that reports should be given to individuals about a week in advance fo their feedback session, providing of course that the 360 views are non-attributable to the individuals who have contributed.
Why? - several reasons. Because there should be no harsh surprises with appraisal data: if managers and apprasiers are on-the-ball, any serious relationship or management issues should be dealt with in a timely fashion, on an ongoing basis, not left until yearly appraisal.
Often the fear of upsetting or difficult responses is greater than the reality: in my experince of helping companies with appraisal, more often than not, responses to 360 are helpful, constructive and - and here is the important bit - need time to sink in for the individual to appreciate their impact and to prepare and engage in discussion about them. Further, appraisal at its most effectrive should not be a top-down, management-led tool: individuals need to be highly engaged in its process and buy-in is essential. How can someone prepare for their appraisal session, contribute meaningfully, when they are seeing the results for the first time at the session? The apprasier has not only the unfair advantage, but this also sets up a "teacher knows best" scenario.
My advice would be to place appraisal carefully in the culture of the organisation, so that no nasty surprises emerge...and if on those rare occasions that they do, make sure the data is sent to the individual accompanied by a telephone call or note of reassurnace that "everything will be discussed fully when we meet". If you are really worried, then last resort is to show the responses at appraisal interview - with an explanation of why.
On balance, its better, in my professional view, to risk the odd sensitive set of responses being misunderstood, than to perpetuate the "manager knows best" top-down approach. That said - if your organisation has avoided difficult and sensitive issues - watch out! - they will certainly emerge with a good, confidential, 360 tool and process.
From, Linda Doe, Chartered Business Psychologist, www.psychatwork.co.uk
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