360-degree feedback (also known as multi-rater feedback, multi-source assessment, or full-circle appraisal) is a performance evaluation method where an individual receives feedback from a variety of sources. This typically includes:
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Supervisors (e.g., direct managers)
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Peers (colleagues at the same level)
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Subordinates (if applicable)
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Self-assessment
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External parties (e.g., clients, customers, or partners — optional depending on the role)
🔍 Purpose:
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To provide a comprehensive view of an individual's performance, behaviors, and skills.
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To identify strengths and development areas.
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Often used for leadership development, career planning, and organizational development.
🧩 Common Competencies Assessed:
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Communication skills
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Teamwork and collaboration
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Leadership and decision-making
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Emotional intelligence
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Accountability and reliability
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Customer orientation (if relevant)
✅ Benefits:
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Holistic perspective: Reduces individual bias by gathering input from multiple viewpoints.
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Improves self-awareness: Helps individuals understand how others perceive them.
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Encourages personal development: Targets areas for growth based on real feedback.
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Fosters a feedback culture: Supports open and constructive communication in teams.
⚠️ Challenges:
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Bias and subjectivity: Feedback can be skewed by personal feelings or politics.
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Overwhelm or defensiveness: Some individuals may find multi-source criticism hard to process.
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Time-consuming: Collecting and processing feedback from multiple sources requires coordination.
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Action gap: Feedback must be followed up with clear development plans or it becomes ineffective.
🔁 Best Practices:
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Ensure anonymity for raters (except self and supervisor) to promote honesty.
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Use a clear, standardized instrument (e.g., rating scales, open-ended questions).
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Train participants (both raters and those receiving feedback) to understand the process.
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Provide professional coaching or HR support to help interpret the feedback.
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Tie it to development, not punishment or performance ratings, especially in early uses.

