Three Hundred Sixty Degree Feedback

Book excerpt: As its name suggests, 360[degree] feedback assesses employee performance and development from several points of view: peers, customers, supervisors, and those who work for the employee. As you'll discover from the many examples presented in this book, 360[degree] feedback has many well documented benefits: it gives employees and teams a clear understanding of personal strengths and areas for development; employees view feedback from multiple perspectives as fair, accurate, believable, and motivational; the flexibility of the process makes it meaningful for people at all levels - in union and nonunion environments - with proven success in such disparate fields as health care, law, manufacturing, and military operations; 360[degree] feedback enhances the effectiveness of diversity management, team-based work structures, TQM, and other broad initiatives. Equally important, these noted authorities show you what not to do when implementing your 360[degree] feedback program. You'll see how other organizations handled pitfalls . . . analyze situations for which this method may not be appropriate . . . and find honest answers (and solutions) to common criticisms of the process.