One way to gather that information is through 360-degree feedback, and the process of getting that feedback is experiencing a much-needed transition from quantitative to qualitative. To be sure, value remains in quantitative scoring (i.e., on a 1-to-5 scale) but the real improvement among company leaders comes from drilling down a few levels deeper to determine not just an overall score but an individual’s strengths and opportunities.
Qualitative feedback from key stakeholders — gained through intensive one-on-one interviews — is the key. More and more, executives who embrace this kind of approach take meaningful next steps and improve in ways that might never have occurred to them otherwise.
