360 Degree Feedback
Not sure who first coined this term, it seems to be gaining popularity in management literature over recent time. I wonder is there any company really applying this supposedly all-rounded feedback process for every staff periodically and systematically. I doubt it very much - simply by imagining all the logistic challenges that would possibly be incurred by having, say, 10 people providing feedback on a person's performance.
Managing feedback in general, by way of the conventional appraisal process in a corporate environment, is hard enough. Adding more third parties to the process, chances are that it will get unnecessarily messy. Of course its being difficult is not a reason for not doing something, especially if it adds true value to the person concerned or the company she works for. So, does it really? Anyway, why 360 degree feedback?
"Helping someone to get better" will no doubt be the advocates' key rationale. It is a noble intention, particularly in consideration of the ideal scenario of creating an amicable and constructive working environment for all those who are keen to better themselves. But the whole improvement plan for a person will have to rest on the subjective judgment of all the other people who participate in the feedback process. However objective the criteria are intended, the judgment will be mostly about people's perception in real life.
That's why I couldn't help but feel that it is so pretentious and hypocritical for anyone who suggests that the feedback process is not about judgement, but improvement. As much as I can appreciate the positive thinking, I cannot suppress my sense of cynicism here. Besides, why do we have to turn the workplace into a stage for popularity contest?
Yes, we want to be "better" persons and like to believe that by being better, we shall be more successful, and we may also like to help other people to do the same. But this is a very ideal scenario of good will and faith. In reality, it is questionable whether people readily change. For the company as a whole, it is debatable on which working environment is more desirable - one in which everybody makes an effort to conform to the surrounding expectations OR the other in which everyone accepts people as who they are and work together anyway.
Managing feedback in general, by way of the conventional appraisal process in a corporate environment, is hard enough. Adding more third parties to the process, chances are that it will get unnecessarily messy. Of course its being difficult is not a reason for not doing something, especially if it adds true value to the person concerned or the company she works for. So, does it really? Anyway, why 360 degree feedback?
"Helping someone to get better" will no doubt be the advocates' key rationale. It is a noble intention, particularly in consideration of the ideal scenario of creating an amicable and constructive working environment for all those who are keen to better themselves. But the whole improvement plan for a person will have to rest on the subjective judgment of all the other people who participate in the feedback process. However objective the criteria are intended, the judgment will be mostly about people's perception in real life.
That's why I couldn't help but feel that it is so pretentious and hypocritical for anyone who suggests that the feedback process is not about judgement, but improvement. As much as I can appreciate the positive thinking, I cannot suppress my sense of cynicism here. Besides, why do we have to turn the workplace into a stage for popularity contest?
Yes, we want to be "better" persons and like to believe that by being better, we shall be more successful, and we may also like to help other people to do the same. But this is a very ideal scenario of good will and faith. In reality, it is questionable whether people readily change. For the company as a whole, it is debatable on which working environment is more desirable - one in which everybody makes an effort to conform to the surrounding expectations OR the other in which everyone accepts people as who they are and work together anyway.
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