Guidance for action

Wherever the Group Report identifies areas of strength, you can reinforce and encourage continued excellence, because these are areas where the individuals are already contributing well to the organization. Try not to allow discouragement or lack of recognition to divert attention from these strengths.

In the areas that need further development, investigate to discover what is holding people back from performing well. Individual and group discussions are often effective ways to find the information you need. In some cases, the solution may lie with initiatives focused on individuals, such as coaching and training. In others, systemic changes may be required, such as in working conditions, tools, or rewards.

One caution: 360-degree feedback provides you with perceptions. It tells you how a certain group of people viewed the Subjects. The absolute truth about anyone's performance is larger than perceptions, sometimes better, sometimes worse, certainly somewhat different. And there may be important areas which cannot be addressed at all, even by the best-designed questionnaire.

Some people say that "perception is reality". In fact, the perceptions of Responders are only one aspect of the truth, so treat the results of your 360-degree feedback project as both partial and vital information.