As we awaken from the pandemic, a need to look toward the future is coming at us fast.
A recent inquiry I received from a potential client was this: “If you were developing a succession plan for senior leadership, what tool would you use to evaluate existing talent?”
For me, the proven answer (many times over) is a leadership 360–degree feedback survey.
Leadership Tip
Conduct a 360–degree feedback survey to evaluate your existing talent.
Using this survey for succession planning and development helps leaders better understand their strengths and weaknesses while providing a base for creating individual development plans.
A leadership 360-degree feedback survey is an online tool in which leaders rate themselves on several relevant points through answering questions. They also receive anonymous feedback from a group of raters using the same points of measure. This group typically includes their boss, their direct reports, their peers, and (depending on their roles) their customers, vendors, or other relevant sources.
Survey results can quickly identify “blind spots” or “disconnects” for a leader. As an example, say communication is a key competency leaders are required to possess. If a leader rates him/herself as “excellent” but direct reports rate that leader as “poor,” then a classic (and common) blind spot becomes evident. The leader simply didn’t see this coming! There’s also a disconnect as the survey reveals the leader and direct reports aren’t operating on the same wavelength. Oops!
This conveys only a small sample of the survey’s effectiveness. It defines a development area to focus on—Communication Skills—which are important for a successful succession.
You can benefit from using the same 360-degree feedback survey to measure any level of manager in your organization. It is highly recommended you start with senior leadership.
Leaders can turn to many resources to increase their effectiveness: leadership seminars, workshops, mentoring, coaching from the boss, professional coaching, self-development plans, and more. Assessing what’s needed through a leadership 360-degree feedback survey is the best place to start. You can learn more at this link.
