How psychological safety works and supports 360 Feedback in teams

In an article in HBR*, Amy Gallo made some practical and informed points about psychological safety, which also relate to the effective use of 360 Degree feedback.

As psychological safety is key to a feedback culture, here are the 3 key takeaways from the article:

1. The core aspect of psychological safety is that members of a team feel it’s OK to take risks, ask questions, express their views and admit mistakes – without any negative consequences.
   
2. Psychological safety is a group-level property. It exists within the team, not the individual, context.The benefits of psychological safety in a team are better team engagement and contribution, better decision-making and continuous learning.
   
3. To create psychological safety in their team, the leader needs to:
   – actively invite input from everyone- respond productively to diverse opinions and contributions- admit their own fallibility- and most importantly, when someone in their team makes a mistake, asks them ‘What did you learn?’  

To put this into the context of 360 Degree Feedback, the team leader should:

• Make 360 an open opportunity for learning by encouraging honest feedback, with specific examples where possible, and with a view to improvement and growth.
  
• When giving feedback it’s Ok to talk about mistakes and differences of opinion, without expecting negative consequences.
  
• For 360 feedback, it’s important that the leader establishes trust in the feedback process for all members of the team. By asking for feedback from her team, accepting the feedback positively, sharing the feedback and making changes based on that feedback, the leader can help to establish psychological safety in the team.
  
• The benefits of well-designed feedback tools are increased engagement and continuous learning.
  

*What Is Psychological Safety? by Amy Gallo
Harvard Business Review, February 15, 2023
(requires subscription)

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Only 4% of organisations say they’re excellent at using learning data to inform business decisions (1). That’s a missed opportunity. This article describes how 360 Feedback can support all aspects of organisation growth.

360 degree, or multi-source feedback, can be a powerful tool for individual development, as it can identify strengths and development needs and provide a powerful pathway for behaviour change at both individual and group level.

Aggregating individual data

Using the aggregated statistics from individual 360 degree feedback can be an efficient and smart way to drive organisational growth. The individual data is already available; by aggregating and grouping the data by team, department, region or role, you can access tangible and measurable insights for succession planning, recruitment, employee retention, and a holistic overview of the key skills gaps.

And now it’s never been easier to run 360 degree feedback at scale, giving organisations a huge amount of valuable data.

Unlocking the value: 360 Degree Feedback that is aligned to the organization’s DNA

Maximising the usefulness of the 360 feedback data first starts with designing a bespoke feedback questionnaire, which is relevant to the current key skills, KPIs, competencies and values of the organisation. In this article, we will explore some of the key ways 360 degree feedback can support organisational growth.

A quick note on organisational growth

This can be defined as the process of expanding and improving an organisation’s operations, market reach, and overall performance. Developing the capabilities and behaviours of its people is critical to this growth.

The elements of the organisation’s people strategy that contribute to organisational growth are:

• Succession planning – developing people internally for the skills and behaviours that will grow the organisation
• Recruitment of people with the right skills and behaviours
• Retention of the right people

By analysing the 360 degree feedback data by groups, teams, divisions, regions – or the whole organisation, better decisions about time, effort and investment can be made.

Succession planning

Almost a third of organisations are unsure that their leaders have the skills required to take the business forward (Kiddy & Partners, 2020). Unexpected leadership changes can cause significant effects on organisational performance.

A bespoke 360 questionnaire which focuses on the skills needed to be an effective leader, will help assess where current employees are, and can help identify which of these individuals would be most suited to be a future leader. Furthermore, you can link the 360 questionnaire with the organisation’s KPIs. By doing so, the 360 data will provide insight into who has the potential to drive the organisation to achieve their goals. The aggregated data will give an overview of how prepared the organisation is for change in key personnel and leaders.

Using 360-degree feedback in succession planning also provides a level of transparency to current employees, and shows them there is a fair and open chance of being considered for future leadership roles. This has a knock-on effect on retention, as one study found that 98% of participants were inspired by their organisation’s succession planning to stay within the organisation (Al Rubaii & Matriano, 2025).

Retaining employees though focused learning and development

A survey conducted by CIPD found that 39% of leaders identify retaining individuals with the skills the organisation needs as the biggest opportunity for improving organisational performance. The same study reported 47% of leaders who said that retaining people with skills the organisation needs is a priority for the next three years (CIPD, Workforce report, 2023). 360-degree feedback can identify the individuals who currently display the skills, or have the potential to develop these essential skills, to support organisational growth.

The cumulative data from bespoke 360-degree feedback can also support Talent Management initiatives in providing  the right opportunities  for employees to grow additional, valuable skills such as management and leadership. The availability of growth also presents an incentive for staying at the organisation.

The link between feedback, learning and engagement

Various studies have examined the link between 360-degree feedback and employee engagement, with many concluding there is a positive correlation. One study by Gallup (2) found a significant engagement gap between employees who received positive feedback than those who received no feedback at all. Furthermore, the study also found that not providing regular feedback had a more negative effect on employee engagement than receiving critical feedback. 360 offers each employee an opportunity to get feedback from the different people they work with; this can be more informative and nuanced that just getting feedback from their line manager, who may not see all their interactions and behaviours. Regular 360 feedback, together with a culture of regular feedback discussions and check-ins, helps motivate employees, supporting them in performing at their highest level, and in turn, supporting the growth of the organisation.

It’s projected that Millennials and Gen Z will make up 74% of the global workforce by 2030 (Forrester, 2021). Deloitte’s 2025 Gen Z and Millennial Survey asked 23,482 individuals the strongest reasons they chose to work for their current employer, and found that ‘learning and development’ is in the top three. 82% of Gen Z and 81% of Millennials think that feedback and performance reviews are among the most useful tools for career growth. Organisations that provide 360 degree feedback are more likely to retain their Millennial workforce, and at the same time, develop them into high performing individuals, further contributing to its organisational growth.

Recruiting for the right skills and behaviours

The CIPD for the Workforce report found that 53% of managers said that recruiting people with the skills they need was their top people issue. Aggregated 360 feedback data can highlight which skills are most important for new recruits. Advertisements, assessments and interviews can be built around those skills and competencies which the 360 has identified.

In particular, the use of 360 degree feedback can support recruitment at the interview the stage, as most 360 questionnaires are designed on observable behaviour and skills. This can provide an ideal template of questions to ask the potential candidate, thus illustrating to the interviewer their compatibility with the organisation.

Failed recruitment processes will only cost the organisation more time, and eventually money in the loss of productivity. Using 360 degree feedback, as a means to identify the needed skills, and also as template for interviews, will make the recruitment process more efficient and effective, and in turn, contribute to success of the organisation, short term and long term.

Benchmarking opportunities, ongoing changes and comparison

The use of a bespoke 360 tool allows organisations to measure competencies which are essential and specific to them. Comparing the feedback data year on year, provides a unique insight into how the organisation is progressing towards its goals, in a way in which other metrics such as sales or revenue cannot.

Over time the data will tell you where significant progress has been made by individuals and overall groups. You can also split the data by departments, job role and office locations. The data may indicate that one area is significantly rated higher than other locations for certain activities. This information can then be shared with other areas to create consistency of  good practice.

Bespoke 360 supports organisational development and growth

360-degree feedback that’s tailored to the organisation can provide a solid base of data to support key decisions in recruitment, retention, development and performance. Integrated into the organisation’s processes and built on its KPIs, the 360 is a key measure for checking if the organisation is  on target to achieve its commercial and its people goals.

Denise Kelleher, Client Service Manager at Track 360 Feedback (Denise Kelleher | LinkedIn

For more information on how you can use 360 Degree Feedback for organisational development, contact us or click on the links below.

Track 360 Design, Consulting and Facilitation
Track 360 Feedback Software for fully tailored 360 Feedback

(1) ATD, The Future of Evaluating Learning and Measuring Impact: Improving Skills and Addressing Challenges, 2025).

(2) Gallup and Workhuman (Building Organizational Cultures That Thrive, 2024)

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Many organizations use 360 Degree Feedback as part of their performance or people development agenda. The ultimate goal is for behaviour change at individual or group level. But is 360 effective in doing this? Where is the evidence that 360 Degree Feedback can actually change behaviours and skills in the workplace? And what does ‘effective’ mean when you’re talking about 360 Feedback?This article explores practice and theory to answer the question ‘can 360 change behaviours’.

A key first step: 360 feedback provides insights, awareness and information

Structured and competency based 360 feedback is a tool that provides insights from work colleague at all levels (manager, reports and peers) into someone’s behaviours, style and values. If it’s a bespoke 360, it can be based on the organization’s key skills, competencies and value-based behaviours. In this way it offers insights at both individual and group or organization level. For individuals, understanding their true impact on others, and how they are seen by their colleagues, is the first step in developing their skills. At the organizational level, the 360 feedback data provides key information on behavioural competencies by region, role, department or other criteria. It can spot pockets of high capability and help to put these in place in other parts of the business. Where there are skills and behaviour gaps, the 360 data can identify needs for development and training. But can 360 change behaviours?

360 Feedback works with activities that create behaviour change

To create change, the organization has to commit to providing 360 feedback, as a first step and benchmarking tool. But on its own, this is not enough. To improve management and leadership skills, people also need one or more of the following:

1. A one to one debriefing and coaching of their 360, identifying strengths as well as areas for development

2. A actionable development plan and learning contract to be agreed with their boss (who is responsible for supporting them to achieve these)

3. Regular check-ins

4. Learning and training activities to build skills, online and offline

5. Time and opportunities for reflection

6. Opportunities to try out learning, practice new skills and make real and lasting changes to behavior

7. Regular re-runs of the 360 to measure progress and adjust development activities and targets where necessary.

In this case study with Plan International, we were able to measure the change and improvement in manager performance through the repeated use of bespoke 360 feedback. As a flag for behaviours that needed to change, and a tool to measure whether those behaviours had actually changed, the 360 was key to this leadership development programme.

The research findings

In a research project carried out in the large organization over a 15-year period*, the observations above were largely shown to be accurate. The key findings of the research were:

1. Follow up activities – focused individual learning, action learning sets, coaching etc – were just as important as the 360 feedback itself. In particular, 360 feedback followed by Learning Contracts created the biggest change in manager behaviours.
2. The optimum time to re-measure with 360 was 12 – 18 months. This gave managers enough time to evaluate their feedback, create their learning contracts, and put their learning into practice.
3. The more often a manager went through the 360 process, the better their 360 evaluations were, compared with managers who went through 360 less often. Again the improvements were strongest where there were 360 plus consistent opportunities to learn and grow.
4. High level sponsorship (by the CEO in the surveyed organisation), was critical to the effectiveness of the 360 as part of the development plan.
5. The success of the 360 was also that it became part of the informal and formal feedback culture of the organization.
6. Sustained behaviour change and improvement takes time, effort and persistence – with 360 feedback at the start, in the middle and onwards.

360 is a diagnostic, a driver of organizational change and ‘leads to sustainable improvements in managerial effectiveness’

360 Degree Feedback is a powerful tool for individual and organizational development. On its own it can help to change behaviours by defining and measuring those behaviours. It does this through increasing self-awareness and helping managers and leaders to get clarity on their blind spots, which can derail career plans if not dealt with. It also opens up the opportunity for better performance discussions with line managers – these conversations will clearly lead to behaviour and performance improvements at both individual and group level.

• Identify strengths and areas for development for individuals to allow them to focus on their personal and professional development
• Measure and track the organisation’s management and leadership behaviours, values and skills
• Provide a powerful discussion tool for learners to use, to discuss and create their learning plans and contracts
• Give line managers an update on how their teams are doing (based on behaviours they may not always see themselves)
• Integrate with the organization’s other talent processes, like talent identification, talent development, promotion and succession planning
• Building and nurturing a culture of feedback and learning

In this way, a sustained 360 process, that is, one that is repeated regularly over time, “can be a valuable business practice that leads to sustainable improvements in managerial effectiveness”.

*Frank Shipper, ‘Investigating the sustainability of a sustained 360 process’ The Academy of Management Annual Meeting August 7-11, 2009 Chicago, Illinois

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Jo Ayoubi is a specialist in using 360 Degree Feedback for individual and team development.

The best 360 Feedback conversations are those that build the awareness of the person receiving the feedback – and motivate them to change, grow and develop. Here’s a step-by-step tutorial on Coaching 360 Degree Feedback, and how to help your team love their feedback!

Coaching 360 Degree Feedback is something many team leaders or line managers are asked to do as part of their job. If you’re a line manager, team leader or simply someone who needs to have a feedback conversation with someone’s who’s just received 360 feedback, this training video is for you.

The video covers, in detail, the following items:

• How to read and understand the 360 feedback report
• Using coaching skills plus 360 data effectively in a conversation
• Feedback skills and how to deal with ‘difficult’ feedback
• Building a SMART development plan with 360 feedback

The text below is a summary of the video tutorial; please watch the video through for more details and examples.

Why is coaching through 360 Degree Feedback results necessary? Surely people team members can figure out their feedback for themselves?

People will have many reactions to their 360 report. They may understand the feedback and feel completely positive about it. They may not understand it fully. They may focus on negative rather than positive messages. They may ignore the feedback (‘I’ve seen this all before’), or they may reject it (for many reasons that seem rational but may not be). They may be happy, angry, upset or indifferent. And they may just put the whole thing away in a drawer (or a file on their laptop) and do nothing more with it.

That’s why it’s essential to have a debriefing 360 Degree Feedback meeting: a one-to-one discussion to help the person make sense of their feedback, and what to do with it.

How to read and understand the 360 feedback report

Read the report through, make sure you understand the results (the report provider will give you guidance) and ask yourself:

• What are the key consistent data coming from the feedback?

• What are the top 3 or 5 items that have an overall highest average rating, and overall lowest rating?

• How are the ratings backed up by the comments given?

• What are the key messages from the feedback?

But be careful! Don’t get fixed on your own views, and don’t go into the meeting in ‘telling’ mode. Instead go into the coaching meeting – in a coaching frame of mind!

Using coaching skills plus 360 data effectively in a conversation

A coaching frame of mind means:

• Asking questions rather than giving instructions

• Listening more than talking

• Giving the coachee time to reflect, consider and speak

The GROW coaching model is a great tool for conducting a debriefing or coaching of a 360 feedback.

In this model, the 360 Feedback forms the basis for each stage of the discussion, but it’s particularly useful for identifying the Reality (i.e. what’s really happening) and the Obstacles/Options as these may also be identified from the feedback that the team member has received. 

Good coaching questions

Here are some great questions for starting/conducting the feedback conversation. Don’t forget to listen to their answers!

• “I’m here to help you get to where you want“: It’s important to emphasise that this discussion is meant to be helpful and supportive.

• “Have you had time to read your report?” If no, then allow them 10 minutes to do so, or to revisit it again.

• “What thoughts or feelings did you have about the report?” It’s important that you give the coachee a chance to say what their initial thoughts and feelings are about the feedback they’ve received. Probe a bit more. “Was it what you expected?” “Were there any surprised?” “What do you think were the key messages?” “Do you agree?“

Doing this will also give you some clues about their current attitude to the feedback – is it positive, negative, mixed, confused….?

• “Before we look at the feedback, let’s take a minute to review your overall goals “(G in grow).

Then, when working through the detailed 360 report with the coachee, you can ask:

• What are the key messages in this feedback?

• Does the feedback fit with your perceptions and experiences?

• Where does the feedback differ, between you and colleagues, and also between colleagues? How/when might this have happened, or how does it happen?

• What feedback would you like to discuss or explore further?

• Which strengths or development areas are most relevant for your role?

There will be lots of positive feedback here, areas of strength, so don’t forget to talk about these too. Don’t just focus on the negative feedback – that’s what some coachees may be inclined to do.

Written feedback

The written feedback should be explored as part of the discussion, as it helps to give context to the ratings.

It’s a good idea to help the coachee to see positive comments and emphasise these.

Also, don’t let them fall into ‘who said this?’ as it won’t help them get the best from the feedback. Focus on the wider feedback and messages.

Dealing with ‘Difficult Feedback’

‘Difficult Feedback’ could be:

• Unexpected and critical feedback
• Unexpected low ratings
• Badly or rudely worded, or
• A criticism of the person, rather than the skills or behaviour

If someone gets difficult feedback, they may be shocked and in denial, they may be angry and they may try to withdraw from the conversation. As a coach, don’t be surprised at this type of reaction. Give them time to vent their feelings, review the positive feedback, possibly help them to reframe the negative feedback, and to explore it: Where (not who) has it come from? Does it fit with other feedback or is it a one-off? Is there anything they can learn from it. (Watch the video for more examples).

Building a SMART development plan with 360 feedback

Next step is the Obstacles/Options session of the GROW discussion. Use the notes and discussion points to talk about the messages of the feedback, based on the Goals.

You can use the 360 Feedback development plan as the ‘Way Forward’ or ‘Will’ stage of the GROW model. What are the strengths that have been identified and where can the coachee use them more? What about development points?

Help the coachee to create a SMART Development Plan with 2 or 3 key development points. Ask them how you can support them to achieve these Development points, and listen to their concerns and requests.

Following up

Set a date for a follow up discussion, maybe in a couple of months, even if you are working with the coachee every day. It’s important to give every day feedback, but also to set aside time for review and reflection.

By coaching 360 Degree Feedback using the skills and techniques I talk about in the video, you can make the conversation a positive and development-focused experience, for both you and your team. And they will love their feedback!

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Leading organisations use 360 Feedback

Jo Ayoubi is a specialist in using 360 Degree Feedback for individual and team development.

Most of us are familiar with 360 Degree Feedback for individuals: colleagues in different roles give feedback to help you understand your strengths and development needs better. Teams also need 360 Feedback to grow and perform at their best. Here’s how to do it.

This video provides an in-depth explanation of how Team 360 Feedback helps teams build Action Plan for Performance. They gain a clear view of their effectiveness, how well they work together and how aligned they are to the team’s goals.

Teams need to get some in-depth awareness about how well they function and perform. Key areas for the team to build that awareness are in goal alignment, working relationships and delivery of team goals.

A team 360 feedback can therefore provide a starting point for the team to create a Team Action Plan for performance – as a team.

Key steps to a Team 360 Feedback and Building an Action Plan

• Identify the team model or tool that is the most suitable for the team. This will depend on the team itself, and the values and drivers of the organisation in which the team operates. Here are some great models you can use as the basis for the questions to ask the Team members from AIHR.
  
• Gather the feedback in a trusting and confidential way, using an online platform that people can access easily and quickly. Team members should be able to access the questionnaire you have written, rate the experience against the behaviour statements and provide written feedback and examples to support their ratings. A 360 feedback authoring tool and platform like Track 360 is ideal for this purpose.
  
• Allow the Team Leader to review the feedback, and to see the responses of the team in comparison to her/his own responses. What are the common areas of agreement, and where are there differences between the Team Leader’s feedback and that of the team – remember the team’s feedback will be pulled together as an average of the ratings of all team members. Individual team member feedback is not shown, so team members can feel safe in responding honestly.
• Facilitate a discussion with the team to allow them to see how they – as a team – have responded to the 360. How have they fed back on Goal focus, on performance and on working closely as a team?
• Support the team to have an honest discussion about what the team have said; this is not a criticism of individuals, but rather a focus on the team’s strengths and development needs.
• The team, with the facilitator, chooses 3 or 4 key areas to focus on as their Performance Development Plan, and sets goals for the Plan.
• The team leader provides the space and opportunity for the team to start putting the Team Action Plan for performance into action.
• The team re-run the 360 regularly to monitor how they are improving, and to make any changes.

It’s the team that owns the feedback and the Plan

In this way, the 360 Feedback is a critical tool to help the team learn and improve together.