Many people feel a little nervous about a 360 Assessment—and that makes perfect sense. Hearing feedback about yourself, especially from multiple perspectives, can be daunting. But here’s the thing: a well-executed 360 feedback rollout is one of the most valuable leadership development tools available.
It gives you a fuller, more balanced picture of your leadership, showing you both where you shine and where you have room to grow. The goal? To help you lead more effectively, build better relationships, and create greater impact—not to tear you down.
If feedback has ever made you feel anxious, you’re not alone. But the right kind of feedback—when framed well—can be an absolute game-changer for your career and leadership journey.
What is a 360 Assessment?
Most performance reviews only consider the perspective of your immediate manager. A 360, on the other hand, provides a multi-dimensional view by gathering input from:
- Peers
- Managers & Executives
- Direct Reports & Team Members
- Clients & Customers
- Vendors & Business Partners
This broad range of perspectives creates a more complete picture of how others experience your leadership, work style, and communication approach.
The Benefits Of A 360 Assessment
IT WILL REVEAL YOUR BLINDSPOTS
We all have blind spots. A 360 can surface strengths you’re underestimating and areas where you might unintentionally be holding yourself back.
IT PROVIDES A CONFIDENCE BOOST
Often, we’re our own worst critics. Many leaders underestimate their impact, and a 360 can be a powerful reminder of just how much their contributions are valued.
IT CREATES A CLEAR ACTION PLAN
Growth doesn’t happen by accident. A 360 can help you identify specific steps to become an even more effective leader.
Reconnecting With Confidence: A Real Story
One of our clients, a brilliant executive, found herself struggling in the boardroom. Even though she had played a key role in transforming her company, she held back in meetings, unsure of how her contributions were landing.
Her 360 Assessment changed everything.
She heard, in her colleagues’ own words, how respected, valued, and impactful she was. At first, she found the feedback hard to believe—but within two weeks, her entire mindset shifted.
She owned her space, shared her insights confidently, and even tackled a tough conversation with senior leadership—something she’d been avoiding for months.
Her biggest takeaway? She had everything she needed to be a strong leader all along—she just needed the validation to believe it.
A 360 Assessment doesn’t just improve performance—it can reshape the way you see yourself.
The Specifics Of A 360 Assessment
We’re certified in several types of online evaluation tools (such as the Leadership Circle Profile or the Center for Creative Leadership Benchmark Suite® ) that can support the collection and analysis of 360 feedback.
While they differ by provider, level, and depth, each comes with standardized questions and reports that allow the individual being assessed to identify key areas to work on. They also provide a wonderful model for our debrief conversation and development opportunities. As the entire process can be a bit confusing, we outlined all the steps for you below:
THE PARTICIPANTS -
Ideally, we seek feedback from ten people (three from each level) to allow for anonymity. Sometimes, we might ask managers and skip-level managers to allow their feedback to be identified while everyone else remains confidential. We gather feedback from: Peers Bosses Managers Clients/ customers Vendors Teams.
THE 360 INTERVIEW SESSIONS -
We’re big fans of 360 interviews. We conduct 30-minute individual interviews with various participants that allow us to have a more nuanced understanding of the individual being assessed. Our questions can be customized in an interview, and we can ask follow-up questions as needed.
At least ten people should be involved in the interview process; the more feedback we receive, the more nuanced the understanding of the individual being assessed. An interview can provide additional insights into the company culture, individual relationships, and possible narratives that paint a more complete picture for us and the person being assessed.
THE QUESTIONS ASKED -
We gather feedback on an individual’s performance in areas such as leadership, teamwork, interpersonal communication, management, work habits, accountability, and vision, depending on their position.
When we use a standardized assessment within an organization, the questions are pre-determined. In an interview, we have room for custom questions or follow-up questions that can focus on a particular behavior, characteristic, or value.
Whichever tool we use, we want to understand the individual’s strengths, opportunities, communication, relationships, management, and leadership style at work. We aim to create the best possible and most complete picture of what it’s like to work with them.
THE DEBRIEF SESSION -
After the assessments have been completed and the results are in, we sit down, review them and have a conversation with the individual being assessed.
Usually, the conversation takes a couple of hours, so the individual has plenty of time to ask questions and can leave with a thorough understanding of the feedback. Scheduling the debrief for the end of the day is our preference.
We lead with high-level results, strengths, and opportunities and then go through the answers in greater depth.
As we recognize that sometimes it takes a few days to process what you’ve heard, we are also available in between sessions. Individuals are highly encouraged to reach out after a debrief if further questions or emotions surface.
THE NEXT STEPS -
In the session after the debrief, we meet with the client to talk about how the feedback is landing. Together, we'll explore how goals might shift to incorporate the feedback received.
In some cases, the person being assessed might want to reach out to a team or department to clarify their role, performance or set up 1:1 meetings to be more engaged with team members, peers, etc., as well as people outside the company. The next steps really depend on the feedback received.
The key is moving forward by taking clear action based on the feedback in order to become an even more effective leader.
Making 360 Assessments Work: The Importance of Follow-Up Coaching & Action Planning
A 360 isn’t just about hearing feedback—it’s about using it to grow. And that’s where coaching and follow-up come in.
Without follow-up, even the most insightful 360 will fade into the background. That’s why we emphasize structured coaching and action planning as part of the process.
- Coaching helps leaders process feedback. A skilled coach helps separate emotion from insights and turns feedback into development.
- Action planning drives meaningful change. We work with leaders to set clear goals for applying what they’ve learned.
- Ongoing accountability ensures progress. The best leaders don’t just reflect on feedback—they act on it.
How to Receive Feedback Well
We get it—feedback, especially critical feedback, can be hard to hear. But the best leaders don’t just tolerate feedback; they seek it out.
Here’s how to make the most of it:
Listen Before Reacting – Take a breath. Let the insights sink in before responding.
Look for Themes – Don’t dwell on one piece of feedback—focus on patterns multiple people highlight.
Separate Emotion from Action – Feeling defensive? That’s normal. But growth happens when you ask: “What can I do with this information?”
Ask for Clarity – If something seems unclear, get more context. It might not be as big a deal as it seems.
For more on how to process and apply feedback, check out our guide: How to Receive Feedback EffectivelyCommon Pitfalls & How to Avoid Them
Overemphasizing Weaknesses – A good 360 highlights both strengths and areas for growth. Focusing only on shortcomings can be discouraging.
Lack of Psychological Safety – If employees don’t trust the process, they won’t give honest feedback. Creating an open culture matters.
No Clear Action Plan – Feedback without follow-through leads nowhere. Leaders must translate insights into action.
Failure to Contextualize Feedback – Not all feedback carries equal weight. Without proper interpretation, leaders might not prioritize what truly matters.
Ignoring Systemic Issues – If multiple leaders get the same feedback, the problem might be bigger than just one person.
Anticipating these pitfalls helps ensure a smoother, more impactful 360 experience.
A 360 Is Only the Beginning
A well-executed 360 isn’t just about what you hear—it’s about what you do with it. It provides clarity. It boosts confidence. It lays the foundation for stronger leadership.
If your organization is ready to support leadership growth with a 360 Assessment, we’d love to help.
Schedule a call by clicking the button below to learn more about how we can make it a game-changing experience for your team.
If your organization would like to carry out a 360 Assessment for one or more of your team members, please reach out to us.
Originally published Dec 2022 | Updated Mar 2025
