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Insights on 360° feedback and leadership development
The Booth Company (TBC), a global assessment company with over 4 decades of experience, specializing in 360 degree feedback and survey customization, marks the fifteenth anniversary of trademarking the term “720 Feedback.” The term “720 Feedback” refers to the concept of a pre-post 360 assessment which obtains multi-rater feedback. 720 Feedback® provides a second assessment that allows participants to compare their results over time. The data from the comparison helps the participants visualize their own developmental progress.
For decades now, organizations both large and small have realized the benefits of 360 Feedback. And as talent management initiatives have become more sophisticated and strategic, 360s have remained an integral piece of the leadership development landscape. Companies recognize just how important it is to assess their employees, helping them to identify strengths and weaknesses that they can leverage or mitigate. “Supporting a pre/post, or 720 Feedback®, initiative not only provides valuable insight on goal progression, but also solidifies a company’s commitment toward employee development, which has shown a positive effect on talent retention rates.”, explains Derek Murphy, CEO of The Booth Company,
You know the old saying, "The only thing in life that is certain is death and taxes." Well there is something else that is certain in life, change. It is inevitable, at some point we all face a change of some kind. This is a good thing. Change means we are learning, growing, and moving forward. Imagine if you never learned anything new or tried different things. You would still be at home, living with your parents, drinking from a bottle. Not a pretty picture. While this example is extreme the point is the same, growth is good. Change in business is also a given. It can include such things as new procedures, policy changes or new management. As a leader, how do you get your team excited about change?
“WE MUST PROTECT THIS HOUSE!” If you remember the commercials in which intimidating athletes stared at you with this declaration, then you remember when Under Armour started to dominate the athletic apparel, equipment and accessories market. Its CEO, Kevin Plank, is a leader that young entrepreneurs can take examples, advice, and leadership style tips from.
Here are a few reasons why Plank is an inspirational leader to learn from.
He Remembers the Past, Looks Clearly to the Future
Plank did not have success out of the gate. Shortly after college, he was at rock bottom and living in his grandmother’s basement. However, he worked hard and persevered, and now uses the methods of his football playing days to build his business for the future.
You don't have to be a control-freak to have heard some truth in the phrase "if I want it done right, I have to do it myself." While the base thought may indicate an admirable expectation of excellence, you - no one - can be everywhere and doing everything, either in their business or in their lives. There is no need to be a superhero. Besides, even Batman has Alfred and Robin.
The good thing is, you don't have to do it all! Delegating to others is not only helpful, it is crucial for success.
Keep in mind, delegating is more than handing out "stuff off your to do list." People want more than a salary from their jobs, they want satisfaction, opportunity, growth. Effective delegation not only helps you get things done, it also helps provide those who work with and for you opportunities for personal and professional growth, and increased job satisfaction.
There are three types of bosses when it comes to employee morale: the boss who is very focused on keeping morale high, the kind who is solely worried about the job and neglects the morale aspect and lastly, the clueless boss which has the best of intentions for employee morale, but still inadvertently destroys it. Whichever you may be, morale is essential for employee retention, good productivity and a healthy work environment. If you feel like your workplace lacks any of these aspects, maybe it's time to reevaluate how you handle your employees.

Stan Slap, management consultant and keynote speaker par excellence, has a new book. It’s called Under the Hood, and it’s about employee culture; specifically, how management objectives can be either supported or sabotaged by the employee culture. Slap’s definition of employee culture is: “Your employees’ shared beliefs about the rules of survival and emotional prosperity.” An employee culture exists to protect itself; it is an information-gathering organism, designed to assure its own survival.
Which means it is anti-change, because change—including positive change--could threaten its very survival. You, even as a first-level manager, are not part of the employee culture. Instead, you are the key influencer of the culture’s survival and emotional prosperity.
When you own a business, motivation and communication become two of your biggest tools when working with your employees. These two concepts go hand in hand when you want your employees to become a trusted aspect of your business. The most important way to keep your employees motivated is to communicate with them. Let them know what’s going on with your company and make them a part of the decision-making process.
How does your company empower its employees? Many times, this question elicits solutions and actions: we implement open door policies with management; we conduct semi-annual performance reviews; we offer flexible work schedules and the opportunity to work remotely.
While all of these solutions can contribute to employee empowerment, it's important that any employee-focused program starts by answering the right question.
You work hard, present new ideas, and take the initiative every chance you get thinking that you'll be sure to get that promotion when it comes around. Gathering up the courage to ask for a promotion is a big deal, and hearing "no" can make you want to crawl into a corner and never return to work again. However, you know that you need to act like a professional, so treat this as a learning experience so that you can have a chance at a promotion the next time around.
Do you work for someone who thinks they have all the answers, but has little patience for the ideas of others? Do they have an opinion about everything and will share it regardless of its value to the project? Having to deal with a know-it-all in the workplace is an all-too common problem. Dealing with this type of personality can be difficult – especially when the know-it-all is your boss. Here are three tips to keep in mind that will help make your interactions with a know-it-all boss easier to manage.