There are three ways in which you can get the most out of 360-degree feedback -

1. Ask about the right items
2. Select the right stakeholders
3. Focus on the future

The right items
If you have the option of selecting the parameters to be included in your 360-degree survey, then exercise that option. You must carefully choose what you’d like people to give you feedback about.

Pick items that you believe are relevant - based on your role, your seniority, your overall development goals, and your objectives for engaging in a 360-degree feedback exercise.

Common mistakes people make -

• Too many items - don’t make it cumbersome for the respondent to provide feedback. If there are too many items (more than 30 could be ‘too many&rsquo, then you run the risk of people not being able to focus separately and distinctly on each item they are asked for feedback about.
• Microscopic detail - if your items drill down to too fine a level of detail, then the feedback may sound relevant but in fact be useless. An example - asking about ‘Openness to learning’ is fine, but asking about “the extent to which you read and use articles on marketing from the Harvard Business Review” is probably too microscopic in detail.
• Quantitative > Qualitative - it’s easy to see the value of quantitative scores in any feedback, and 360-degree feedback is no exception. But be careful and don’t get so seduced by quantitatives that you don’t provide enough opportunities for respondents to write qualitative information. Remember, a 360-degree feedback is different from an assessment or appraisal - the idea is to provide information to help you make good decisions about your development, your future. Qualitative information is invaluable for this purpose.