DecisionWise Leadership Intelligence Report

360 Feedback + Coaching = Development Success

New Research Shows the Importance of Coaching with 360 Degree Feedback

Q. How important is coaching with 360-degree feedback?

A. This is a common question, and we have strong opinions on the matter! 360-degree feedback and coaching go hand-in-hand. In fact, we go as far as to say that all 360 feedback should be accompanied by some form of coaching in order to be effective.

Let's look at the research:

In formal studies we have conducted over the past decade with thousands of managers across diverse organizations, industries, and functions we found some very interesting facts about making the 360 feedback process more effective. Two areas stand out more than any others: Coaching and Goal Setting. The results of our latest research are very telling:
  • 92% of those that received coaching reported that the overall 360 process was effective. In contrast, only 34% of those who did not receive coaching felt the 360 process was effective.
  • 87% of those that set goals felt the 360 process was effective.
  • 60% of those that did not receive coaching did not set any goals. Conversely, less than 40% of those that didn't receive coaching set goals to improve.
  • 94% of those that received sufficient coaching and set goals, felt the 360 process was effective.
Additional academic research supports these findings. Additionally, when participants had set specific goals to address areas of their 360 feedback, it was far more likely that their 360 feedback showed significant improvement the following year than when goals were not set.

These studies leave little doubt as to the importance of coaching and goal-setting in making your 360 process more effective. Yet we find that less than half of the organizations using 360 degree feedback, emphasize coaching and goal setting as part of the process.

So what is 360 feedback coaching?
It's not as difficult as you might think and it does not have to be complex. It can be handled in several ways, such as one-one-one sessions or in a group workshop-type setting. The basic elements of 360 coaching are:
  • Help the participant understand the report.
  • Work with the participant to identify strengths, derailers, and gaps in perception between rater groups (self versus others, supervisor versus direct reports, etc.).
  • Help the participant own the feedback. They need to understand that the feedback is about their behaviors and abilities as viewed by others. These perceptions will often dictate how effective the person will be.
  • Create goals and action plans based on the results.
  • Follow up consistently throughout the year (monthly or quarterly).
Conclusion
The effectiveness of a 360 degree feedback process greatly increases when the participant receives coaching, creates a personal development plan, and receives regular follow up from his or her supervisor. Remember, the 360 feedback results are only the catalyst for change. Coaching, goal setting, and follow up are the factors that lead to real improvement.