By BLR Founder and CEO Bob Brady
Just My E-Pinion
In today’s E-pinion, BLR founder and CEO Bob Brady admits to some humbling moments after receiving 360-degree review results, but recommends using the technique for all managers, especially for CEOs who may be more susceptible than most to self-delusion.
Years ago, when BLR was first hiring people in quantity and my job changed from being a “doer” (writer of newsletters, proofreader of copy) to a “manager of people,” I first faced a challenge that still regularly befuddles me:
How do you manage people so that their productivity (and yours) is maximized?
At first, it was easiest to stand over new hires and give them step-by-step directions. However, the limits of this tactic quickly appeared, and it became clear that it is more productive (for them and me) if jobs are fashioned to allow for more self-management. It’s not only more productive, but also more enjoyable.
People who thrive in a self-managed atmosphere are a whole lot more fun to work with than people who need minute instructions. Employees who need constant direction can be wonderful people, but they quickly limit, rather than extend, a manager’s effectiveness.
If it sounds like I think I’m a black belt manager, those who work for me know better. While I’ve been “good enough” at it to build a successful small business, it is a real struggle. I’m never sure whether people want me to “help” or if they view me as one big interruption. As a result, I’m usually left wondering what is “just right” in terms of management. I end up being “bi-modal,” either providing too much or too little in the way of guidance and support.
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360-Degree Reviews
One of the tools that we’ve used to evaluate the effectiveness of managers is the 360-degree review, which involves asking not just managers, but also peers and subordinates to review an individual’s performance. Over the years we’ve conducted 360-degree reviews regularly, using several different vendors. In every case, it’s been a useful, if somewhat humbling, experience.
We recently completed another round of 360s, and once again, while my subordinates and I agreed on my strengths and weaknesses, I think I’m stronger than they do. (The same is true for a lot of people—but not everyone is as self-delusional as yours truly.) This most recent exercise showed me, for example, that while I may think I’ve energized people by pointing out opportunities for improvement, my input is often interpreted as negative and ends up sapping energy and creativity.
It is no fun getting that input, but it is certainly better to hear it and work to improve than to continue being oblivious. Our team has worked hard over the years to improve on the feedback we receive from these 360 reviews, and I’m confident that we’re a better organization for having conducted them.
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360 Poll
We recently ran a poll on HR.BLR.com, our content website, on the use of 360-degree reviews. About half of the people responding said they use 360s and find them useful. I’m surprised that the number is that low, given how easy they are to administer and how helpful they are.
We’re curious about 360 use and what other tools manager use. Does your organization use 360-degree reviews? Do you have other tools that you use to help managers understand how they are seen by their peers and subordinates? I would be very interested in your views. You can e-mail me at rbrady@blr.com or, better yet, answer the few, short questions on the attached poll, and I’ll report on the results in the next few weeks.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/THR8JCS