Overview: How to Debrief 360 Results and Drive Meaningful Change

Modified on Mon, 10 Aug at 6:56 PM

How to debrief 360 results and drive meaningful change

A guide for managers and coaches supporting 360 feedback participants

The purpose of this guide is to share best practice advice on how you can help 360 feedback participants interpret and act on their results. Research shows that a successful 360 process depends on a manager's or coach's involvement. Your input and guidance matter most after data collection is finished and the feedback reports are delivered.

What you will learn

How to interpret 360 feedback results
How to conduct the feedback session
How to create and document a Growth Action Plan (GAP)

START HERE

This article is the starting point. The guide is split into six sections, and each one is a separate article in this knowledge base. Use the links below to work through them in order, or jump straight to the section you need. Every section article can also be linked to on its own, so you can send someone directly to the part that is relevant to them.

Before you work through Section 2, have the participant's 360 Feedback Report (the downloadable PDF Participant Guide) in front of you, assuming your process gives you access to it. The report contains instructions, tips, and best practices for interpreting results.

The six sections

Section 1: Understanding the purpose of 360 feedback
What 360 feedback is, what it measures, and what you get out of it as a leader.

Section 2: Strategizing how to execute feedback
How to read a 360 feedback report step by step, and how to run the debrief session itself.

Section 3: Conducting feedback debrief sessions
How to prepare for and run the session, and how to handle difficult reactions to the feedback.

Section 4: Planning for action
How to help participants choose development areas and build a Growth Action Plan (GAP).

Section 5: Feedback in a confidential process
How to run a useful development conversation when you cannot see the participant's report.

Section 6: Key takeaways and additional resources
The three things to remember, plus where to go next.

How to use this guide

Every 360 process has a different purpose and its own unique elements. There are many best practices here for preparing for a debrief session, interpreting results, and guiding growth action planning. Choose the parts that fit your process and adapt your approach as needed.

Each section ends with a pointer to the one that follows it and begins with a link back to this article to serve as an index.