Structuring 360 feedback sessions: the questions to ask

What are the questions that work well as prompts in 360 review feedback sessions?


The structure of a 360 degree feedback session can help or hinder the conversation - but what works well?

We’re currently working on a Good Practice Guide, but as a starting point, take a look at the following outline and the question prompts which we have found to be useful:

 1. Contracting - to gain trust, acceptance and the right to deliver feedback

  • What do you want to get out of this session?
  • What, for you, would make this a productive meeting?
  • What do you want to have by the end of this session?
  • Tell me a bit about your role.  What are the key deliverables?  What are the biggest challenges?
  • What is happening in your job at the moment?
  • Who are your peers?
  • What situations do they observe you in?
  • Who are your ‘customers’? What do they see you doing?
  • Tell me about your relationship with your manager.
  • Tell me about your team.

2. Overall Impressions - to set the tone and depth of issues to be discussed in the meeting

  • What overarching themes emerge?
  • Is there anything unexpected or upsetting in your feedback?
  • Are there any nice surprises?
  • What was your first reaction to the feedback?
  • What do you take from the summary charts and graphs at the beginning?

3. Detailed feedback

  • What seem to be your key strengths?
  • What seem to be your main areas for development?
  • Which items stand out for you?
  • Where are the biggest gaps?
  • What patterns emerge in the way that different groups have rated you?

4. Qualitative feedback - to examine and explore written comments from reviewers to see what insight they might offer and how they might add to the numerical feedback

  • Are there any consistent or repeated messages?
  • How do the comments support (or contradict) your overall impressions, your key strengths or areas for development?
  • Do any of the comments provide you with a clearer picture as to why you have been given particular ratings?
  • Do any of the comments provide suggestions as to things you could do differently, specific developmental actions, or quick wins?
  • From the comments, what seem to be your key strengths?
  • From the comments provided, what seem to be your main areas for development?

 5. Action Planning - to determine key priorities, resources, stakeholders and specific actions and timeframes

  • What changes can you make right now?
  • How could you make better use of your strengths?
  • How could you use your strengths to develop in other areas?
  • How would you summarise your feedback?
  • What do you think are the key messages?
  • What stands out for you?
  • What support will you need to take this forward?
  • Which organisational resources can support you in your personal development?
  • What are you going to take away from this?
  • Which areas are you going to focus on?
  • When are you going to collect feedback again?  From whom, and how?
  • How will you know if you are making progress?
  • How are you going to ensure you get maximum value from this feedback?

You may like to read the full article below. 

Prompts to support your 360 feedback session

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