A
Sample Work Product:
Online 360
Degree Staff Assessment System
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© 2005, by Barry
Sweeny
CAUTIONS TO READERS OF THIS EXAMPLE
ASSESSMENT ON THE BusinessMentorCenter WEB SITE:
This web-based assessment was designed by Barry
Sweeny. His experience suggests that having the assessment and
collecting data with it are pretty easy. USING the data in ways
which honor that people are doing the best they can, so that folks
do not become defensive and improvement results, is not
so easy. Here is why.
The 360 degree assessment process has become notorious
for creating problems with those employees who are assessed. This
happens for many reasons, most of which are unfair assessment
practices! Here are some guidelines for the use of assessments,
like those provided here as work products, which, if followed,
will help you attain your purpose (feed back to managers) and
avoid the problems (defensive, unproductive reactions).
- The best way to avoid defensiveness is to first
create the openness to feed back and a desire to growth, then
provide the data.
- Be very clear that the assessment results are
solely to be used to support development, not for performance
reviews.
- The above statement has implications for who
receives the data. Think out carefully the confidentiality needed
to create low-risk learning contexts for persons, in which they
feel safe enough to try new perspectives, new strategies, and
to grow.
- Analysis of the data produced requirs insightful
interpretation, ability to sort out contributprs' hidden agendas,
etc. This may require the guidance of a thrid person who facilitates
the examination and analysis of data and mediates the decision
making processes once a pattern is found.
- 360 degree assessments can be powerful in that
they reveal unstated agendas, blocked communication lines, misperceptions,
and previously unarticulated issues. These can be used in positive
ways to help us see ouresleves with fresh eyes. However, these
very same lements can make people defensive, and turn negative
what could have been a very fruitful process. The point is to
honor the data as an opportunity to discover new perspectives.
Easily said, not so easy to do.
- Make the 360 degree feed back ONE source in
a set of three or more sources for data on the same questions.
Consider each stakeholders view point. THAT is best practice
in assessment, not using one data source to drive decisions.
World
Relief
- Northern USA Area Office, Wheaton,
Illinois, USA
360 Degree Staff Assessment System
"The journey of discovery consists not in
going different places, but in seeing where you are with fresh
eyes." - M. Proust
We assume that every World Relief employee is
a highly motivated, dedicated person, living out in their every
day work, a commitment to excellence and service. Yet, we all
build and use routines to manage our tasks and we can become accustomed
in that work to habits and behaviors that may or may not help
us to be the workers we want to be and to make the impact we'd
like to make.
We are asking you to help us in this process by
giving an honest and candid assessment of the work of your supervisor.
It is our hope that, by providing supervisors with data from his/her
co-workers, they will be able to see themselves and their work
in a fresh perspective. Then, given that new viewpoint, they can
better set goals, develop a plan to continue growing and become
the leader they want to be, build more productive relationships,
and make the difference we know they want to make.
It's our goal that as each of us reflect on these
things, we become stronger as individuals and as a team, and we
grow ever more effective in what we can accomplish together.
Please know that your name and the individual
data collected from you by these tools is held in strict
confidence and will not be shared with anyone.
(Only summary information will be provided.) You can feel completely
free and candid in your responses.
Thank you for your commitment, and your willing
to help us all learn, improve and grow.
Choose the tool you will use:
