Q. What is 360 degree feedback? How does it benefit leaders?

A. From the first meeting, I make my coaching clients aware that they will be receiving 360 degree feedback from key stakeholders within their organization. The feedback (anonymous, confidential feedback from people who work around them) provides  important information about their leadership. By getting feedback from all directions—supervisors, peers, and direct reports, leaders learn who they are and how others perceive them.

Unfortunately, many leaders misunderstand what feedback is. Because they assume feedback is mostly criticism, they’re not eager to ask for it. However, constructive feedback not only points out areas of weakness, but also affirms areas of strength.

Nancy was concerned that her feedback might not be favorable, but she was willing to engage in the process. She was a new leader and wanted to know how she could get better in her current role. She was willing to bravely face reality because she knew it would make her a stronger leader.

Top performing leaders courageously seek out honest feedback. They genuinely want to know whether their interactions help or hinder the performance of those around them. They’re willing to make changes, move in new directions, even apologize for mistakes. And that makes those who follow them more loyal and enthused about their leadership.

On the opposite end of the spectrum are leaders who rarely ask for feedback because they are frightened of what they will hear—they know they’ve got room for improvement but don’t want to have that out in the open. Or they are completely blind to their own weaknesses (and sometimes even their strengths) and blame any troubles that come on other people.

Most leaders land somewhere in the middle. They don’t give much thought to feedback because they don’t see real value in it. Usually, they wait for a performance review, which is poorly executed and, in most organizations, too infrequent.

Many organizations claim to have 360 processes, but those processes have no value because they are too general and tell people what they already know. Feedback processes often fail because they focus’ on people’s weaknesses, concentrating heavily on those areas rather than affirming people’s strengths. Therefore, leaders tend to associate the word “feedback” with negativity—and avoid even thinking about it.

How can you get great feedback? Request it on a regular basis—and create a safe culture where people can tell you things you don’t already know. Think about what would be really useful for you to learn from the feedback and come up with those questions before the feedback begins. Ask specific questions, and don’t get defensive when people answer honestly. That way, you will find more value in the feedback you are getting.

For Nancy, the feedback was very beneficial. She received a very high rating from her colleagues and upper management.   From the people she managed, she learned that a lack of confidence was holding her back from being a truly great leader. She had the skills and knowledge she needed—she just needed to confidently use those skills. We now had the necessary information and clarity needed to help her achieve her goal as an exemplary leader.

As the leader, everything you do has impact. You will be misinterpreted and misunderstood. People have their own perceptions, which means no one is completely unbiased. Have a thick skin and receive the feedback with the view of what resonates most for you. To create a more open and honest culture, no one is off limits…especially the leader of an organization. You will have to work hard to hear the truth.

Feedback should come not just from people above you on the org chart, and should come not just in performance reviews. Rather, more frequent, less formal feedback from both supervisors and direct reports is more helpful and effective. Find ways to facilitate feedback from everyone on your team.

Several leaders I know create informal meetings with their employees to encourage discussion of issues.  They set up breakfast meetings in their office or luncheons for small groups to ask important questions, and to listen carefully to what those they lead tell them. These meetings are a place where people can respectfully but honestly tell the leader how he or she is doing, and what changes they think would benefit the team and the organization. This process not only improves the bottom line, but it helps good leaders look for others on their team whose insights and ability to articulate feedback might make them a good leader as well.

What knowledge about yourself are you missing that could make a significant difference in your life as a leader? Do you know how others perceive you as a leader?