360 Tips and Tools

As a long-time developer of leaders and leadership teams, OKA is a frequent user of 360 feedback, the process of gathering and comparing data from an individual and that individual’s supervisor, peers, direct reports and in some cases even clients, family and friends. 360 tools offer a holistic portrait of someone’s behavior and/or performance. While complicated and time-consumptive, 360s offer powerful insights and perspectives that can be essential to professional growth and leadership development.

I want to share two tips and two tools that will help you with your use of 360s.

Tip #1: Coaching Categories

Not all clients come to coaching with the same energy. Clients tend to engage the coaching process in one of three categories—each producing a distinct tone. Knowing the motivational category of your clients enables you to better prepare and to more effectively manage yourself and the process.

Tip #2: Content vs Marketing

360 feedback can illuminate deficits in skill and ability, and/or it can highlight behaviors that you believe you do often or well that others don’t see or acknowledge. Framing your client’s challenge as either content or marketing empowers her or him to move toward developmental action with focus and speed.

Tool #1: Discovery Leadership Profile (DLP)/Emerging Leadership Profile (ELP) 360 Assessments

Addressing the challenges of both senior leaders with deep experience and those newer or even aspiring to the leadership game are the Discovery Leadership and Emerging Leader Profiles.

Based on research identifying critical leadership competencies, the Discovery Leadership Profile (DLP) is designed for established leaders, and the Emerging Leader Profile (ELP) is tailored for new, aspiring or high-potential leaders. The results of the established or emerging leader’s self-assessment are then compared to the aggregated results of up to 30 raters, highlighting strengths and developmental needs as well as pointing out surprises and those opinions held in common.

Well researched and established, these tools—new to OKA—present their data in a tighter, more actionable format than most 360s, making them a nice addition to any coach or trainer’s toolkit. OKA has adopted a new certification process for these tools, utilizing a self-paced on-line process and a one-on-one coaching phone call. For more information on the DLP and ELP or certification data, click the DLP logo below.

Tool #2: EQ360

Enabling anyone to learn about the behavioral face that she or he brings to the world, the EQ360 is often used as a companion or a follow-up to the EQ-i. Allowing unlimited raters from a number of categories—Supervisor, Peers, Direct Reports, Family & Friends, the EQ360 casts a telling and detailed light on the perceived level of Emotional Intelligence that a person tends to present. Painting a compelling portrait while maintaining rater-anonymity, the EQ360 provokes insights and suggests next-step actions to develop greater leadership and relationship effectiveness.

A sibling tool to the EQ-i, the EQ360 is included in the EQ-i certification. To learn more about the EQ360 and/or the EQ-i certification within which it plays such a prominent role, click the EQ360 graphic below. On-line certification options are also available.